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Scores of children have allegedly been found in an underground facility of a church in the Valentino Area of Ondo town, Ondo State.
The discovery was made on the night of Friday, July 1, 2022.
Report has it that the children were allegedly kidnapped and confined to the underground cell of he church.
The Punch quoted a source who said the victims numbering over 50 were rescued by the police, who also arrested the pastor and some other members of the church.
The children were seen in a viral video being driven in a police patrol vehicle as they're being taken to the police station.
In the video that played for one minute, 40 seconds, a voice was heard making comment that goes, “They are kidnapped children found in the underground cell of a church in the Valentino Area of Ondo. The pastor and some members of the church have been arrested and were also in the patrol van of the police."
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said the victims had been taken to the Akure headquarters of the command.
The PPRO stated that, “I don’t have the details yet but they are bringing the victims to the headquarters. I will give you the details as soon as I get it from the DPO.”
This came after a similar incident in Plateau State where officers from the Department of State Services (DSS) rescued 21 Muslim children from a building belonging to the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA).
The victims alleged that they were forcefully converted to Christianity having been brought to the house against their will.