Two suspected armed robbers have been arrested for allegedly burgling a Redeemed Christian Church of God parish in Sagamu, Ogun State.
The suspects, Fidelis Francis, 28, and Lukman Jimoh, 40, are accused of scaling the fence before breaking into the church using an iron bar at about 2am on Monday, June 7.
When they were done with the operation, they hid in a bush. However, the police, having received a distress call about the attack, arrived at the venue and laid ambush for them.
5 hours after hiding in the bush, they emerged and made their way to the vehicle they parked close to the bush and officials of the state police command arrested them.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, June 9.
Oyeyemi said: “Upon the distress call, the DPO Sagamu Division, CSP Okiki Agunbiade, mobilised his men and the local vigilantes to the scene, but the robbers had escaped by scaling the fence before the arrival of the policemen.
“While combing the surrounding bush, the policemen sighted a Lexus saloon car with number plate 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 and waited for who would come for the vehicle at that odd hour.
“After waiting patiently for about five hours, the two suspects 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 from 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 but to confess to the crime.”
The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, has directed an in-depth investigation into the case with a view to charging the suspects as soon as possible.
