By BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

…parade security guard, 8 other suspected robbers
LOKOJA—Kogi State Police Command has paraded seven persons for allegedly posing as bishop, pastors and prophets during a revival programme in Lokoja, capital of Kogi State.

Those paraded include Bishop Bamidele Abraham of Eagle Kingdom Church, Lokoja and Pastors Chucks Ingalis Kelvin, Chinedu Okosisi, Samson Prince, Osita Chuckwu, Samuel Ike and Nnenanaya Anthony Ikechukwu. They were said to have come from Port Harcourt, Rivers State into Lokoja.

State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Kastina who paraded the suspects said they were arrested while conducting ‘deliverance’ for people at a revival programme organised by one of them in Lokoja.

According to Muhammed, Bishop Bamidele who is the pastor-in-charge of Eagle Kingdom Church, Lokoja was said to have contacted Pastor Chuks from Port Har-court to help raise money for his book launch.

Sources said Chucks, who was an expert in such ventures came with members of his team, some of who acted like mermaid; deaf and dumb persons while others claimed to have been afflicted with other sicknesses during the revival to sway the sympathy of those in attendance.

However, a member of the congregation who felt uncomfortable with the way the pastors were conducting the deliverance, reported them to the police which moved in swiftly and arrested the suspects.

One of the suspects, Pastor Chuks, however defended his action saying, “This is not robbery, its pure professionalism. Every profession has its own way of surviving. The police have their own way, the lawyers have their own way; even you journalists have your own way; what I did is pure business and survival instinct.’’

Also, Pastor Osita Chukwu who posed as mermaid said she was promised N16, 000 while leaving Port Harcout to Lokoja but they only got N1, 000 pending the conclusion of the botched revival programme.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Police Command Tuesday paraded a nine-man syndicate of suspected armed robbers, including a security guard and his two brothers. The gang allegedly stole exotic vehicles from the employer of the security guard and sold the vehicles for N10 million.

The vehicles, which have been recovered by the police were a Fortune SRS Jeep and four 2011 Toyota Camry cars, stolen from an Indian company in Lagos.

The state command’s spokesperson, DSP Ngozi Briade disclosed that the vehicles were recovered from Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom State, by detectives attached to the Lagos State Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, led by SP Abba Kyari.

According to her, the incident, which occurred on May 19, was reported at the Area ‘J’ Command, Lekki, by the management of the company before it was transferred to SARS.

Briade said the security guard, who allegedly masterminded the operation, connived with his brothers, who later co-opted others that stole the vehicles and disposed of them to a receiver in Akwa-Ibom State.

The police spokesperson, however, disclosed that the vehicles were recovered in batches following the confessional statements of the suspects, adding that the suspects were in police custody, except one who was currently receiving treatment in a hospital.

She said the suspects would be charged to court for robbery as soon as investigation was concluded.

However, Vidani, while expressing happiness over the outstanding performance of the Police, stated that he was amazed about how the police was able to recover the vehicles and arrest the suspects within a short time.

The Indian businessman observed that the Nigeria Police could do much more, if given the necessary support and logistics.

-Vanguard

Posted by admin on Jun 20 2012. Filed under Headlines, Kogi, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry