The Police Command in Cross River has paraded two male suspected armed robbers for stealing a 500 KVA generator and a Yamaha keyboard from a Pentecostal Church in Calabar.
Mr Hafiz Inuwa, the Commissioner of Police in the state, who paraded the suspects on Tuesday in Calabar, explained that they broke into the church on Feb. 22 at 165 Parliamentary Road in Calabar to steal the items.
Inuwa alleged that the suspects, Francis Boniface and Godwin Effiong also stole other valuables from the church.
“On Feb. 22, our State Housing Police Division received a report that some unidentifed thieves have broken into the church and carted away some items.
“The items included one Yamaha keyboard valued at N200,000 and one generator valued at N190,000 and other few items.
“It was the timely report from a church member that made it possible for us to apprehend the suspects,’’ he said.
The commissioner said that the suspects would be charged to court with their accomplices.
One of the suspects, Effiong, told NAN in an interview that he bought the generator from his friend, Boniface.
“I am not the one that stole it directly from the church, Francis Boniface did. I only bought it from him at the cost of N70, 000.
“I also did not know that the generator was stolen because he even issued a receipt to me,’’ he said.
Similarly, Boniface too claimed he bought the generator at N90, 000 and sold it for N70, 000.
“I did not steal the generator at all. Someone brought it to me. I even bought the generator for N90, 000.
“I tried to trace the guy that brought it to me but could not,’’ he said. (NAN)