By TWO members of a syndicate specialising in breaking into churches to steal valuables, Emmanuel Emiowor and Noah Philip, who have been described as betraying their Christian names, have been arrested and are now cooling their heels in the custody of the Delta State Police Command.
Emmanuel, aged 21, and his partner in crime, Philip, aged 20, both residents of PTI Road, Effurun in Udu Local Government Area of the state, were arrested on Tuesday, 16 September, in a gold-coloured Toyota Sienna Space Van with registration number EFR-150-XB.
They were intercepted by police operatives from the Ogwashi-Uku Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Israel Okomoyon, in collaboration with local vigilantes.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, in a statement on Wednesday, said the suspects—who were apprehended through credible intelligence following several complaints by churches—were paraded at the command’s headquarters by the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda.
Items recovered from the culprits
According to him, items recovered after a search of the suspects and their vehicle included one pump-action gun, three single-barrel locally-made guns, one locally-fabricated revolver, one live cartridge, and an iron rod suspected to have been used for breaking church doors.
Edafe said: “Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of a syndicate that specialises in attacking churches.”
He added that some of the looted property recovered from the suspects have already been returned, while further investigations are ongoing.
Edafe also quoted CP Abaniwonda as reaffirming the command’s “unwavering determination to rid the state of criminal elements.”
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