Two police officers were on Sunday killed when armed robbers invaded Vine Branch Church, Queen Elizabeth road, Ibadan, with an attempt to cart away 'The Lord's offering and tithe'.

It was gathered that the robbers were suspected to had laid ambush in the Church, only to swoop on the officers of a second generation bank who usually come to pick the offering and tithe. It was also gathered that the officers had stepped into the Church to pick the cash while the robbers who were already inside the Church swooped on them.

 On sensing that the bank officer had not taken possession of the 'goodies', the robbers shot in the air and caused panicking among members. As the robbers were attacking the bank official in the church, simultaneously, two police officers who were 'cooling their nerves' in front of the van and the other sitting at back were shot dead right in their van. Interestingly, the driver of the bank's vehicle was spared as argument over his fate became of subject between the robbers.

Eyewitness said that an attempt by one of the robbers to shoot the driver, who was in mufti, was saved by another colleague who reportedly argued that the driver was not a police officer. The gunshots thus alerted members of the church, causing confusion in the Church as members scampered for safety.

Some other members of the Church who sustained injuries while scampering for safety were said to be receiving treatment in a nearby hospital after the incident. When the robbers also got wind that their actions could be monitored from the projector hung in the church auditorium and the monitor room, they attempted to cut all monitoring networks around the Church.

However, the robbers searched frantically but were unsuccessful in their attempts to get the cash. Meanwhile, one of the robbers was shot by a police officer but was whisked away by his colleagues.  As at the time of filing this report, his state of health could not be confirmed.

The robbers were said to have made away with all the police rifles. After the attack, two vehicles of the state security outfit, Operation Burst were stationed in front of the church. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Oyo State Police Command, DSP Olabisi Ilobanafor who confirmed the incident, said "the command lost two officers gallantly in the unfortunate incident."

She said the officers died during the exchange of fire between them and the robbers, adding that one of the robbers was shot and was carried away by his colleagues. "Two officers were shot during the exchange of fire while one of the robbers was shot as well. But the robber who was shot was carried away while the command unfortunately lost two gallant officers," she said.

Meanwhile, the timely intervention of police saved the situation as the robbers were unsuccessful in their attempt to steal the cash.