Robbers attack residents, church

A 64-year-old pensioner, Mr. Sunday Awobajo, was shot by robbers who also attacked residents and a church at Jebba Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos.

 PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred around 2.30am on Saturday.

 It was gathered that the eight-man gang broke into a house and robbed about eight tenants before proceeding to the Christ Power Prayer and Intercessory Ministry.

The wife of the pensioner that was shot, simply identified as Mrs. Awobajo, said her husband’s inquisitive nature got him shot by the robbers.

She said, “As an elderly person in the house, he heard the noise of doors being broken; so he tried to find out what was happening. He never knew it was robbers that were operating. As he opened the door from our apartment, the robbers shot him in the face. Luckily, he survived because the bullet did not hit him  directly in the eyes.

“After that, I decided to take him to the hospital but people said he needed a police report to be attended to in the hospital. On getting to the police station, they directed us to Kuba Hospital, which is a private hospital and I couldn’t afford the payment.

“Thank God for my neighbours who contributed money for initial treatment. I don’t know where I will get more money for full treatment.”

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Mr. Omoyajuwo said the robbers carted away their properties.

 He said, “We were all asleep when they broke into the house. They entered the first room,  but the occupant was not around so they proceeded to other rooms.

 “The robbers are young boys and are eight in numbers. They held guns and other weapons that they used to force the doors open. All our phones were taken from us. They also took the salary I just collected.

It was also learnt that the pastor of the church was injured when he tried to escape.

According a member of the church, who identified himself as Mr. Balogun, the robbers entered into the church after the vigil had ended.

He said, “We just finished a vigil and some members decided to sleep a little. Suddenly, the robbers came in. They took all our phones, pointed the gun at the stomach of the pastor, but they did not kill him.

“They collected his money and mobile phones. As he tried to escape, his head hit a car.

He added that the thieves escaped when the police arrived at the scene. He said the policemen arrested a suspect who claimed to be innocent.

He added, “The suspect claimed that he was a firewood seller and was coming from the gym at the time of his arrest, but the police doubted him because his dressing did not look like someone coming from the gym.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Ngozi Braide,  told our correspondent on the telephone that the case was reported at the Denton Police Division.

She said the incident was burglary and not robbery.

According to her, the pensioner hit his head on the wall during the incident.

“They broke into the house at night, took their mobile phones and other belongings. No one was wounded; the old man sustained a wound when he was running,” she said.