Lagos State Police Command recovers weapons within church premises in Badagry

MEN of the Lagos State Police Command have recovered a cache of arms in a church premises in Badagry after arresting an armed robbery suspect and following him and his team to the place of worship.

Over the weekend,  Wasiu Kamarudeen, 19, of Iyalode, Ilogbo in Badagry was arrested and the police recovered one locally-made short gun with one live-cartridge from him. They were arrested after police were given a tip-off that the robbers were in the church and a team of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) officers were deployed there.

Police spokesman Deputy Superintendant of Police Bala Elkana,  said that the Ilemba Hausa Police Station received a distress call from St Patrick’s Catholic Renewal Church, Jakande Open Field, on Saturday evening. He then added that the caller had sighted one motorcycle conveying three passengers into the campground in a suspicious manner.

Mr Elkana said: “The passengers mingled with the worshipers who were attending a three-day retreat with intent to dispossess worshippers of their valuables such as handsets and cash. On the strength of the information, some patrol teams were deployed to the scene and the ringleader identified as Kamarudeen was apprehended but the other two escaped.”

He added that the  Sars had launched a manhunt for the remaining two suspects. “Investigations are ongoing and the case will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed,” Mr Elkana added.