Authorities in Bayelsa State have moved swiftly to tighten oversight after a pastor and his wife were arrested in Yenagoa over allegations of sexual abuse involving a 13-year-old girl, a development that has placed the spotlight on how institutions respond to crimes against minors.

Police say the arrests were made on Sunday during a church service in Yenagoa, where the pastor was accused of sexually assaulting the girl on multiple occasions, both within church premises and at his residence, while the wife is alleged to have played a complicit role.

According to investigators, the case came to light after the victim confided in her mother, prompting complaints to advocacy groups and the police. The girl is reported to have told authorities that the abuse occurred repeatedly from November 2025, under circumstances linked to errands she ran for the pastor’s household.

The situation escalated when the mother formally reported the matter to the Ekeki Police Division, after what she described as distress over events that unfolded publicly in the church, prompting law enforcement to step in and begin preliminary investigations.

Confirming the arrests, Bayelsa State Police Commissioner Iyamah Edebor said the command had ordered the immediate transfer of the case from the Ekeki Division to the gender unit to ensure a focused and professional investigation.

The police commissioner assured that the gender unit would handle the matter with sensitivity and thoroughness, adding that due process would be followed and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in line with the law.

The case has renewed calls from rights advocates, including groups led by Dise Harry, for stronger institutional safeguards within religious and community spaces, as authorities say the handling of this case will test the system’s commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable.