Panic gripped residents of Akute-Odo in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday after unidentified assailants invaded Christ Crusaders’ Deliverance Ministries and killed the church’s security guard.
The deceased, popularly known as Baba Iwo, was reportedly attacked inside the church auditorium in the early hours of the day.
When PUNCH visited the community on Tuesday, residents recounted that the incident occurred around 1am during a power outage.
A resident, who identified herself simply as Ajoke, said the guard had noticed suspicious movement within the church premises and decided to investigate.
“He was outside when he sensed something unusual.
“With his cutlass, he told another security guard nearby that he was going inside to check what was happening,” she said.
Ajoke explained that when Baba Iwo did not return after some time, the other guard became worried and peeped into the church.
“He saw him lying motionless on the altar. He also noticed someone hiding behind a door and immediately raised the alarm,” she added.
Residents who responded to the distress call said the victim was found in a pool of blood on the altar.
Another resident, Moses, said the attackers inflicted severe injuries on the guard before fleeing.
“The injuries were grievous. It was clear he was attacked repeatedly. It was the quick response of some youths that prevented further damage,” he said.
Although the exact number of the assailants could not be confirmed, residents claimed one suspect was apprehended while attempting to escape and was later handed over to operatives of the Ajuwon Police Division.
A witness, Dare, who participated in the arrest, said the suspect resisted and injured two residents during the struggle.
“We were told there were about three of them, but only one was caught. He tried to escape towards the tollgate. Before we subdued him, two people were injured,” Dare said.
Another resident, Tife, urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation, including reviewing the church’s CCTV footage to determine if other suspects fled the scene.
She also alleged that the fleeing suspect damaged some streetlights in a bid to avoid identification.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident and said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for detailed investigation.
She stated that the body of the deceased had been released to his family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
“The matter has been transferred to the SCID for further investigation.
The body has been released to the family, and investigations are ongoing,” she said, adding that certain details would remain confidential until the probe is concluded.
The incident has heightened security concerns in the community, coming less than a week after four persons were found dead in a music studio in the same area.