A gang of robbers invaded Vine Branch Church on Queen Elizabeth Road, Ibadan, Oyo State on Sunday, killing two policemen.
Some church members also sustained injuries as they attempted to flee the scene.
It was gathered that the robbers attacked the church to snatch offering and tithe boxes.
The robbers were said to have pretended to be worshippers as they joined the congregation during the service.
PUNCH Metro gathered that a van
with some bank officers and two policemen drove into the church
immediately the offerings were collected to take them to safety.
When the bank officer entered the
church, the robbers were said to have attacked him, but they later
realised that he had not taken possession of the money.
Realising that they had made a failed
attempt, the robbers shot into the air and attacked the policemen
waiting in the van outside.
They killed the policemen and took away
their rifles. The driver was, however, spared because one of the robbers
was said to have observed that he was not a policeman.
It was also learnt that the robbers attempted to disconnect the church’s projector, but were not successful.
An eyewitness, who did not give her name, said the entire operation showed a lot of planning by the robbers.
She said, “No one would have expected
that the robbers were among the congregation. The robbers must have
visited the church more than once during the planning stage to get
information on how the church keeps its offerings.
“Many church members did not know until
today that the offerings are immediately taken away after they are
collected. How these robbers got to know how the church treats the
offerings is a mystery. I am sure this was not the first time they
worshipped with us.”
The Police Public Relations Officer Oyo
State Police Command, Olabisi Ilobanafor, confirmed the incident, adding
that one of the robbers escaped with a gunshot wound.
SOURCE:www.punchng.com
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