Network for Democracy and Development (NDD) has condemned the studied silence of stakeholders over children and youths who were recently rescued from a dungeon in the basement of the Whole Bible Believers Church, Ondo town in Ondo State, Southwest by men of the Nigeria Police Force.
Gatekeepers News reports that the socio-democratic network said it was disturbed by the failure of critical stakeholders in the incident.
It was earlier reported that no fewer than 50 kidnapped children were allegedly found in an underground apartment of the church.
The group condemned this in a statement jointly signed by the group’s Director of Public Affairs, Ibrahim Momoh, and Director of Media Relations, Ibrahim Adogo.
The statement read in part, “We are disturbed that the Governors of Plateau and Ondo States and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who have so far maintained a studied silence and failed to issue public statements condemning these heinous crimes. We find this deeply troubling, suggesting that their reactions to previous incidents were far from being altruistic.
The group expressed concerns over the illicit practices by persons hiding under the banner of religion, to perpetrate heinous crimes against innocent children and youths.
The statement read further, “NDD is worried that, according to the police authorities, security personnels were attacked by one Josiah Peter Asumosa, a Pastor in the church, and other members of the church. We are pleased that no life was lost in the altercation and that all the children and youths were evacuated safely.
“We note that this ugly development seems to follow a pattern as this is coming within a fortnight after a similar rescue operation involving inter-state abduction of 23 children which was perpetrated by the ECWA church in Jos, Plateau State.
Information released by the police indicated that the children and youths that were rescued from the churches had been incarcerated for several months.
According to police, a parent revealed that their daughter, a part three student, dropped out of school due to the strange teachings of the Ondo church pastor and left home in January 2022 to start living in the Church.
NDD further condemned the lack of remorse by the culprits who argued that the children and youths were not held against their wish.
Meanwhile, the NDD has called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this abduction and indoctrination of the children as well as the prosecution of those behind the sordid acts.
It also urged security agencies to beam their searchlight on the activities of religious organisations across the country to weed out the bad elements who use the cover of religion to wreak havoc on society.
