Church Drummer, worker collude with robbers to steal church’s N1.5m

In Oyo State, Police has arrested two members of a Methodist Church Cathedral in Ibadan for planning to rob the church with intent to cart away N1.5m.

Police said a worker in the church, Ogundijo Abiola (43), and the church drummer, Alabi Olukunle (25) had invited a gang of armed robbers to invade the church and cart away the money with the plan to share the loot with the robbers. They were arrested during the Sunday service.

Abiola told our correspondent that he contacted the robbers on Saturday and told them that there was enough money to steal in the church coffers, adding that he also told them that the money would be shared equally.

In his confessional statement, Olukunle said Abiola contacted him and told him that he needed people who could handle the church priest.

“He said he wanted to beat the priest and then rob the church of N1.5m. I know a thug so I contacted him and he agreed to do it. But Abiola called me again to halt the operation and I did. But on Sunday, police came to the church and arrested us. I am only a drummer in the church.”

Public Relations Officer of the command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, “The anti-robbery squad of the command foiled an armed robbery attack on the church in Ibadan on November 6, 2016 and arrested two members of the church for their involvement in the crime.

“The robbery was at its final planning stage when they were arrested. The planned robbery was conceived by the two suspects, who invited the gang to rob the church of the large sum of money.”