Strange but true: Robbers shift attention to worship centres in Akure

HAKEEM GBADAMOSI writes on the unfortunate occurrences of armed robbery attacks on worship centres in Akure, the Ondo State capital and the urgent need to arrest the situation.

Churches in Akure and its environs might either engage the services of security operatives during their vigils or completely suspend their monthly or weekly vigils as worship centres have lately become the targets of armed robbers, who move around during vigils to dispossess worshippers of their valuables.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that these ugly developments have put religious vigils on hold across the state capital. Many of the churches attacked by the robbers are located at Leo junction, Fanibi, Lafe, Ondo Road, Olusegun Agagu Road, Danjuma, Okuta Elerinla and Oyemekun, among other areas.

Speaking on the activities of the robbers,  Akinyemi Gabriel, a resident of the state capital, explained that the hoodlums usually divided themselves into groups of four or five for ease of covering more robbery outings

While narrating his experience, he stated that “I left the church with my family around 4:00 am after the vigil because we live very close to the church. But these hoodlums who pretended to be a vigilance group turned us back into the church saying they needed to confirm if truly we were coming from the church.

“Immediately we entered into the church they closed the doors and ordered everybody to stay on the floor while they collected money, handsets and other valuables.  Some church members were beaten.”

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the robbers beat the wife of the founder of a church. She reportedly challenged the robbers for having no respect for the house of God.  The woman nearly lost her life for daring the men of the underworld and ended up in the hospital, spending weeks at the hospital after the incident. She was reportedly hit with a big cudgel held by one of the hoodlums.

Another member of a popular church who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that the robbers spent hours carrying out their operation, moving from one church to the other unhindered  while they also took time to share the stolen items among themselves before leaving each church to avoid controversies after the whole operation.

The source explained that the robbers on getting to church would order all doors and windows shut to stop the noise of church members from attracting the attention of neighbors. He however lamented that the efforts of some members of a particular church who managed to sneak out of the church, when the armed men arrived, to alert security operatives in the area proved abortive as there were no responses.

A member of a white garment church who identified himself as Bidemi said “the incident happened during the end of the month prayer and vigil services of the church. The armed men operated for about three hours on the fateful day. Four members of the robbery gang came to our own church; they beat us with sticks after which they asked us to submit all our phones, laptops and wrist watches into one of the offering baskets.  Other members of the gang were busy giving directives to the church cashiers who were in one of the rooms in the church to gather together the offering and put them in a nylon bag and handed over to their leader.”

“It was when one of them locked the door from inside and another brought out a pistol and asked all of us to lie down and face the ground that we knew there was a problem. Their countenance changed. In the rowdy situation, I heard one of them who was elderly asking for the pastor in charge and where they kept the offering they had collected during the service. They collected everything on us, especially our phones, money and the offering which was their main target. As we faced down, we heard them sharing the money they had stolen from other churches they had robbed earlier.”

Worried by the state of attacks, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) called an emergency meeting where some measures were agreed upon to put an end to the frequent attacks.

CAN wrote to security operatives in the state. Many of those whose churches were invaded that ill fated night said that the experience would remain with them for a long time. The state chairman of the association,  Reverend John Ayo Oladapo, while speaking on the development, described the attack on churches as worrisome adding that the development is baffling and unacceptable to the churches.

“Aside the regular level of security in the churches, we have asked our members to put in place additional security measures to forestall future occurrences.  We have also asked our members to ensure that movement within and outside their churches are strictly monitored. They should also avoid leaving their places of worship before daybreak after vigils,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents of Akure metropolis have called on the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu and the state commissioner of police, Mrs. Hilda Harrison to save them from incessant robbery attacks in the areas which according to them occur on daily basis.

The residents speaking through a community leader, Chief Alani Kolawole, said in order not to fall victim of robbery attacks, many churches in the affected areas have stopped organising daily, weekly and monthly vigils.

He explained that the robbers usually spent hours to operate at the areas unhindered, alleging that the police would not arrive the robbery scenes until the robbers had left, saying many residents of the affected areas had lost their valuables to the hoodlums.

“We are always helpless whenever the robbers strike because if we call the police they will not come until the robbers have left. That is why we are calling on Governor Akeredolu to assist us. Robbery has now become a regular occurrence in the metropolis. Robbers do not respect God,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state, Femi Joseph, equally expressed regret over the attack on churches but said that the command have commenced investigation into the complaints by churches.

According to him, “We have taken action on the incident; we have deployed our surveillance to the affected areas and very soon we shall arrest the hoodlums.”

He called on residents to call on the Divisional Police Officers in their area  whenever there is robbery attack, saying “We have to appeal to our people; I have given the telephone numbers of the four D.P.Os we have in Akure and if any one of them does not respond, the people should report him at the police headquarters.”

Joseph insisted that the command was doing everything possible to ensure the state capital was free of robbery attack both during the day and at night.