John Agbontean.

By Jethro Ibileke 

Operatives of Edo State Police Command have arrested a 35-year-old ex-convict, John Agbontean while attempting to rob church worshippers of proceeds of end of year harvest.

A statement by the Command’s spokesman, SP Moses Joel Yamu, on Wednesday disclosed that the incident occurred at about 11.45 am on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at the Restoration Gospel Ministry Church, located at No. 11 Oviasuyi Street, off Ogiemwenke, Benin City.

Yamu said that following a distress call from the worshippers, operatives of Saint Saviour Divisional Headquarters were immediately mobilised to the scene.

He added that the suspect was caught red-handed in the act, with a cut-to-size gun.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to being an ex-convict who gained his freedom from Oko Prison, Benin-City on 19/12/2024.

“He stated that he and his accomplice, one Ola whose surname is unknown now at large, conspired to rob the aforementioned church of the proceeds from the Church’s end-of-year harvest thanksgiving where he was arrested in the process, while his accomplice narrowly escaped arrest,” Yamu said.