Photo: Pastor arrested for stealing from various churches in Lagos

45 year pastor Tope Kolawole pictured above has been arrested by the Lagos state Police command after a failed attempt to rob a church in the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos state on March 31st. According to the Lagos state Police command spokesperson, Kenneth Nwosu, the suspect, Pastor Tope, who until his arrest specialized in breaking into churches and stealing music instruments, wall clocks, offering and tithe, had gone to the said church where he robbed them of their amplifier, two music mixers, one keyboard, one stabiliser, two DVD players and one Samsung plasma 32 inches television and was about to run away with the stolen item when he was nabbed. Confessing to the crime, Pastor Kolawole said “I specialise in stealing from churches. I steal music instruments. I have a receiver and buyer known as Alausa. Without him, I would not have gone to churches to steal. When he heard that I have been arrested, he went into hiding. I steal in the churches I worship to avoid suspicion. I have been succeeding except this one. I was remanded in Kirikiri prison by Task Force from Alausa for hawking on the highway. I am a qualified pastor because I went to theological school and was ordained pastor in 2008 at Ile-Ife by Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) but I worship at Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at any of their parishes. It is the devil that caused my frustration that made me to steal in the house of God. My wife Bunmi is a nurse with children. I live in Sango and go to Lagos to operate because Ogun is good for hiding after operation. It was what the Task Force did to me that made me to become a thief because they made me lose everything I had got in 10 years. I used to gather items at about 10:30pm and by 5am, I go to nearby road to look for taxi to take me to Oshodi. Where the taxi driver is in doubt, I call Alausa who claims to be the General Overseer of a particular church I once stole from. He is the one that pays the taxi driver once I deliver the goods. I am now a born again; if I am released, I will open a church and appoint those suspects elders of my church. We will not rob again but work for God.”he told The Nation