Two persons were on Sunday feared killed at Meiran, Ijaiye/Ojokoro Local Government Area of Lagos State, after a gang of armed robbers engaged police patrol teams in a shootout.
Lagos Police spokesperson, Nogozi Braide, who confirmed the gallantry of the policemen that dislodged the robbers, added that the hoodlums had planned to rob a branch of a popular pentecostal church in Lagos, the Redeemed Christians Church of God (RCCG), located at Olaniyi Close in Meiran, but were repelled by the timely arrival of the policemen.
She added that the swift response of the police patrol teams made it impossible for the armed robbers to attack the Church, which sources said was in a special programme.
The incident, according to a source, would have been the second worship centre in the area that armed robbers would invade successfully in less than three weeks.
It would be recalled that a branch of Mountain of Fire Miracle Ministries (MFM), located at Alakuko Bus Stop on Lagos/Abeokuta expressway in Lagos, was attacked by armed bandits numbering six, penultimate Thursday and carted away the Church musical equipment.
Police source added that, the robbers, who tried to attack RCCG, had engaged the three police patrol teams that responded to the distress call, in a shootout, perhaps in their bid to show their fire power, but were overpowered by the policemen.
It also was gathered that two of the men of the underworld were shot dead by the policemen, while several others escaped with bullet wounds.
Police source told our correspondent that the robbers arrived the Church on three motorcycles, commonly calledOkada, and proceed towards the gate of the church, but for the vigilant eyes of one of the Church security men, the robbers would have invaded the congregation and left successfully with their loot.
“One of the church security men was fast enough to contact the Meiran Police Divisional Headquarters, which alerted the Lagos State Police Command Control Room.
The Control Room relayed the message calling on all patrol vans to surround the whole of Meiran and ensure that the robbery did not take place,” the source said.
Police said they were on the trail of the fleeing members of the gang and that soon they would be tracked down.