Pastor Arrested Over MMI Robbery.

Okay. Feeling extremely lazy today but I had to just rant about this. When it involves the church any church, I always have an opinion. Anyways, this robbery took place last month in Muritala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. Two policemen were killed and others injured.The bureau de change that was robbed is still closed and the area squandoned off. I was'nt going to write about it because quite a few of you would have read about it already. Of course, investigations are taking place and suspects are being questioned. Then the news broke yesterday.

 General Overseer of The way of Joy church located in Egbe, a Lagos suburb was among seven suspects. The clergy , identified as  Pastor Ibikunle Olarewaju John, confessed to Crime Guard during the parade, that he administered  an oath of secrecy on the gang members, on the day they attacked the Muritala Mohammed Airport. 
The part of this that is still a bit of a mystery to me is when the gang was said to have robbed the same airport last year and carted away 60 million naira. 60 million? Was the the pastor a member then? You'll understand why I ask these questions when you see the church. 

Back to the story, the gang members were engaged in a gun battle which led to the death of the two policemen while a member of the gang was killed. They carted away 10 million naira. The pastor said his share was 500,000 but there were indications that it was more than this.
To cut the really long story short. The pastor dedicated two cars after robbery  attack, his church  was deserted by its members ( trust nigerians) and sealed while his wife absconded with children.
When interviewed this is what the pastor had to say;

 “ Before  that day, one of them, Asiwaju, said I should come and administer an oat of secrecy on members of his gang. I invited them to come to my church but they said they would not want to  arouse  suspicion. At the end, I went to Ijebu-Ode.  I waited at a designated point before a member of the gang came and took me to their hideout inside the bush.

I administered the oath on them  about 1pm. You will not understand if I start explaining because it is a spiritual thing. I said some incantation into a horn and added some other things.

I waited there until they came back around 11.30pm.,before  leaving next day, with N500,000. I was  instructed not to tell any one about what transpired.I swore,that is all my involvement. I never followed them to rob”, he said.

Asked if he informed his wife about his mission, he replied, “ No, I did not. I only told her when leaving that I was going to pray over night for a ‘big man’ who would not like to come to our area. And when I came back, I told her the money was given to me by the ‘big man’”.

I regret my involvement
In an emotional laden voice, Pastor Ibikunle looked at Crime Guard , battling hard not to betray his emotion, “ Am I going to die? He asked with a tear filled eyes. Ah! he exclaimed. I would have remained in my cubicle as a poor man than heeding the advice of the gang. Now,  I am left without nothing! My condition is even worse.

“I’m appealing to every member of my church  to forgive me for embarrassing them. This is the devil’s handiwork. I can not even face members of my family now…”, the 37 year-old father of  two paused and bent his head, refusing to speak any further.