Officers of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested five armed robbers who attacked members of a church, beat them to a stupor, and kidnapped one of them.

The robbers were said to have invaded a Christ Apostolic Church, located at Gudugbe Alagbon area of Wasimi in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state.

This was disclosed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Sunday in a statement issued in Abeokuta.

Oyeyemi noted that the suspects – Abubakar Ibrahim, 38; Sulaiman Yusuf, 32; Ismail Yusuf, 20; Umar Aliu, 26 and Yinusa Musa – were arrested on Thursday.

The PPRO added that they were arrested the same day they robbed the church members, following a distress call made by the shepherd in charge of the church, Obisesan Seye, .

According to the PPRO, the shepherd told the police that his church was invaded about 1:30 am by six men who were armed with dangerous weapons.

Oyeyemi said, “The hoodlums beat some members of the church to a stupor before dispossessing them of their valuables.

“As if that was not enough, the hoodlums abducted one Mojisola Atolagbe while leaving the church.

“Upon the distress call, policemen attached to Ewekoro division swiftly moved to the scene, combed the forest where the hoodlums escaped to thoroughly and their efforts paid off when five amongst the gang members were apprehended in the bush.

“The victims of the attack have identified all the arrested suspects while the sixth one is being hunted for.”

The PPRO stated that among the  weapons recovered include one cutlass, two sharp-pointed cudgels, and assorted charms.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation.