SHOCKING: Hoodlums rob worshippers, Stole millions of Naira from offering box and share loot in Ondo church

Armed robbers on Saturday invaded some churches in Akure , the Ondo State capital , and robbed members of the churches of their valuables .

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

The churches affected , according to a source, were located along Ondo Road and the Fanibi area of Akure .
The robbers reportedly spent several hours carrying out the operation without any interruption .

They were also alleged to have shared their loot in one of the churches before they dispersed.

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 .

According to a source, the incident happened during the end- of - the -month prayer and vigil services of the churches.

The hoodlums were said to have carried out the act between 2 am and 4 am .

One of the victims of the robbery , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said four members of the gang attacked them in their church and stole all they had , including the church’s offerings .

She disclosed that the hoodlums had robbed about five churches before they arrived in her church.

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

Some of the injured victims , according to her , are still receiving treatment in private hospitals in the town .

She said, “After finishing our vigil at about 3 am 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.

She noted that the robbers removed the SIM cards from victims ’ phones and dropped them on the chairs of the church before taking to their heels.
It was gathered that men of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad arrived in the area about 15 minutes after the bandits left .

No arrest had been made by the police as of the time of filing this report.

The men of the SARS were said to have recovered a gun and a mobile telephone dropped by the robbers at the scene of the incident.

When contacted , 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.