Gunmen rob worshipers, share loot in Ondo church

Suspected armed robbers at the weekend invaded some churches in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and robbed worshipers of their money and other valuables.

The men were also reported to have carted away the churches’ offerings, running into millions of naira.

The churches affected, according to a report, were located along Ondo Road and the Fanibi area of Akure.

Punch reports that the bandits also shared their loot in one of the churches before they vanished into thin air.

It was gathered that while the robbery was ongoing, some church members managed to call the control room of the Ondo State Police Command, but there was no response from the command.

A source said the robbers were armed with guns, machetes, iron rods and sticks, adding that they beat some ‘uncooperative’ victims.

She said, “After finishing our vigil at about 3am on Saturday, all of us were going home when some armed men met us on the road. They told us they were members of a vigilance group in the area and they asked us to go back to the church.

“They followed us to the church. On entering the church with us, they locked the door from inside. One of them brought out a pistol and asked us to lie down and face the ground. They collected everything on us, including our phones and money.

“As we lay face down, we heard them sharing the money they had stolen from other churches they had earlier robbed. From their conversation, we discovered that they must have attacked no fewer than four churches before ours.”

The victim added that the robbers fled through the windows when they learnt that policemen were on the way.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident, adding that the command had commenced investigation.

“We have taken action. We have deployed our surveillance team in that area and very soon, we will arrest the hoodlums,” Joseph said.