Pastor, church member arrested for robbery

The Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos State,
has arrested a 45-year-old pastor, Joseph Olude,
and his church member, Rasak Raheem, for
allegedly robbing in the Idiroko-Oke Odan area, a
border community between Ogun State, Nigeria, and
the Benin Republic.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Olude and Raheem were
arrested by the operatives of the Zonal Intervention
Squad, after a tip-off.
It was learnt that while the police arrested the two
suspects, other members of the gang fled.
Our correspondent gathered that on Thursday,
August 11, the police received information that a
robbery gang was operating in the Idiroko-Oke
Odan area, and dispossessing motorists of their
valuables.
A businessman, who was moving money from
Nigeria to the Benin Republic, was said to have put
a distress call across to the police.
The two suspects were thereafter arrested.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro , Olude, a father of five
children, said he owned a church, Elohim Cherubim
and Seraphim Church, in the Hunbe, Ajegunle area
of Ogun State.
The pastor, who added that Raheem came to his
church for a special prayer, explained that he did
not know that Raheem and his friend, one Bidemi,
were armed robbers and kept guns on the church
premises.
He said, “I have five children. I was arrested when
the police found five guns on my premises. It was
my church member, Bidemi, who invited Raheem.
“Raheem was brought into my church in February
2016, after he was infected with a Sexually
Transmitted Disease. He also owed a house rent.
So, he came to live in the church. I did not suspect
that he was bringing in stolen goods into the
church’s premises.
“I knew the time when someone came to collect a
gun from him. Bidemi usually dressed like a
policeman. I did not know that he was a robber.
Now, Bidemi has fled.”
Raheem, who hails from Abeokuta, Ogun State, said
the pastor was aware that some robbers brought
guns to keep with him in the church.
He added that the gang gave him (Raheem)
N20,000.
He said, “The pastor and I are friends. I went to his
church and a man called Bode from Cotonou
brought the guns. I told the pastor that the guns
were for safekeeping in the church and he said
there was no problem.
“About two weeks ago, Bidemi called me that he
wanted to use the guns around the border area. I
said he should bring N10,000 when coming and he
agreed.
“The robbers collected the guns and when they
were done with the use, they paid another N10,000.
I knew they used the guns to rob. It was a five-man
gang.”
The Zone 2 police spokesperson, SP Muyiwa
Adejobi, said the Assistant Inspector-General of
Police, Abdulmajid Ali, had ordered a thorough
investigation into the case.
He said, “The suspects operated along border areas
of Ogun State, Benin Republic and even Togo. The
ZIS operatives were detailed to the scene and they
arrested the two suspects along Madoga Road
between Nigeria and the Benin Republic.
“The police recovered one AK-47 rifle fully loaded
with 30 rounds of live ammunition, and 15 extra
AK-47 ammunition. Effort is on to arrest the fleeing
members of the gang.”