Operatives of Ogun Police Command have arrested two suspected armed robbers for allegedly burgling a branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Sagamu, Ogun State.
The suspects, Fidelis Francis, 28, and Lukman Jimoh, 40, were arrested after scaling the fence of the church shortly after burgling the church of iron rods.
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Our correspondent gathered that the suspects, who reportedly hid for five hours in a bush after their escape, went back to where they parked their operational vehicle close to a bush around the crime scene.
The police who had laid ambush in the area reportedly swooped on the suspects.
The suspects were said to have confessed to the crime when confronted with Close Circuit Television footage of the church, showing them in the act.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed this to journalists on Wednesday in Abeokuta.
Oyeyemi said the incident occurred around 2:00am on Monday when a branch of Redeemed Christian Church Of God, located at GRA Sagamu was attacked by the suspects.
The PPRO added that while Francis was a resident of Udem in Cross River State, Jimoh resided in Akure, Ondo State.
He said the Divisional Police Officer in Sagamu received a distress call from the church and led his team to the scene.
Oyeyemi said, “Upon the distress call, the DPO of Sagamu division, CSP Okiki Agunbiade, mobilised his men and the local vigilantes to the scene, but the robbers had escaped through the fence before the arrival of the policemen.
“While combing the surrounding bush, the policemen sighted a Lexus Saloon car with registration number KJA 469 EP, parked at a get-away position not too far away from the church.
“The operatives suspected that the vehicle might have been parked by the suspects, mounted surveillance in the area, waited for who would come for the vehicle at that odd hour.
“After waiting patiently for about five hours, the two came, and while trying to move the vehicle away, the policemen swooped on them and got them apprehended.
“On searching the vehicle, two iron bars similar to the ones recovered at the scene of crime were recovered from the car.
“This further increased the police suspicion and the two men were taken to the church, where the CCTV footage was played and the two suspects were seen in the footage as they were breaking into the church.
“Having seen the video evidence, the two suspects were left with no alternative than to confess to the crime.”
Oyeyemi added that the suspects would soon be charged to court.
