Posted by By Osaro Okhomina on
ROBBERS, armed with military rifles, yesterday invaded the premises of a popular pentecostal Church in Benin City, the Church of God Mission (CGM) in a bid to snatch the Sunday service collections but the plan was foiled by the Police leading to the killing of one of the robbers.
BENIN CITY - ROBBERS, armed with military rifles, yesterday invaded the premises of a popular pentecostal Church in Benin City, the Church of God Mission (CGM) in a bid to snatch the Sunday service collections but the plan was foiled by the Police leading to the killing of one of the robbers.
Besides, the Anti-Robbery patrol teams of the State Police Command yesterday escaped an ambush following an attack on them by armed robbers in the Upper Mission Area of the state capital, causing panic among residents and the death of three persons suspected to be robbers.
Vanguard gathered yesterday that the robbers, who were armed with newly aquired rifles identified as military weapons, arrived the premises of the Church at about 6:00am and moved straight to the administration's block seeking the officials known to be in charge of the Sunday collection.
It was gathered that the arrival of the robbers and their lack of knowledge of the expanse structure of the Church slowed down their movement and provoked them to shoot sporadically into the air for some minutes to cause panic in the area.
The shooting, Vanguard gathered, attracted some residents of the area and a distress call was made to the Police Zonal Command, Zone 5 and the State Police Command headquaters. The Police Patrol responded quickly and engaged the robbers in a shoot-out that caused pandemonium in the area.
One of the robbers was shot dead, while another was arrested. But two other members of the gang reportedly escaped.
In a related development, the anti-robbery patrol team of the State Police Command were yesterday ambushed by armed men along the notorious Temboga junction in Upper Mission Area of Benin City. It was gathered that around 3:00pm on Sunday, the two patrol teams of policemen were attacked in the area on their way to respond to a distress call but no policemen was killed.
Contacted on the development, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Peter Ogboi confirmed the failed attack on the Church but said investigation into the robbery is being handled by the Zonal Command, Zone 5 and disclosed that 'the ambush on the patrol team resulted in the death of three persons. It is a black spot and we recovered some weapons and a station wagon Mercedes Benz."