Robbers Raid Churches, Steal Bells

Residents of Kajola Area, Oda Road in Akure, have been in a state of confusion as service bells of eight churches have been reportedly stolen by unknown robbers.

The Hope Metro gathered that members of the churches got to their places of worship on Sunday to discover the mysterious disappearance of their bells usually used in service.

The churches affected include Celestial Church of Christ, Ìmísí-Oluwa, Deliverance Parish, Ogo Oluwa, and one Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Igbala among others.

Pastor of one of the churches, Snr. Evangelist Àjàyí Kehinde, in a chat with The Hope Metro, lamented that it was so annoying for someone to break into the church of God and cart away the properties.

Recounting the incident, he told our correspondent that the bells were stolen between last Saturday night and Sunday morning.

According to him, he got to his parish on Sunday morning, only to find out that all the four service bells in his church had been carted away by unknown robbers.

He said: “Not quite long, I also heard the same sad news from other churches that their bells have been stolen by unknown robbers.”

He explained that the incident had never happened to him since he started his ministry.

One of the church members, Mrs Olaide Adetona, also told our correspondent that they were so surprised to get to the church on Sunday and saw that all their bells have disappeared.

She confidently said: “anybody that stole our church bells will return it himself.”

Residents of Ijigba Kajola, Oda road have urged the state government to come to their aids, saying the robbers have turned to something else by using other means to get materials for money rituals.