Two police officers were killed in Ibadan on Sunday as a
gang of armed robbers attacked Vine Branch Church on Queen Elizabeth Road,
Ibadan, Oyo State.
The church is one of the popular churches in the state capital, headed by Dr. Sola Kolade.
The robbers, who pretended to be worshippers as they joined
the congregation for the service, were said to have targeted the offerings and
tithe. They struck after they were collected.
Some church members also sustained injuries as they
scampered for safety.
It was 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.
After realisng that their attempt had failed, 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 was well planned by the robbers.
“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,” she said.
The Police Public Relations Officer Oyo State Police
Command, Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor, confirmed the incident, adding that one of
the robbers escaped with a gunshot wound.
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