A dismissed police officer has been caught while stealing offering money contributed by church members. The man identified as Mr. Nkanu Patrick, posed as a genuine police sergeant, in possession of three police identity cards before committing the atrocious act. He was caught at SS Philip and James Catholic Church, Lekki, Lagos State as he attempted to steal ‘offering’ from the altar.
According to NewTelegraph, he was struggling to open the church’s money pouch when one of the church’s security guards sighted him. He was taken to Area J Police Command, Ajah. When he was searched, three police ID cards and a Walkie-Talkie were found on him. The latest ID card presented him as a sergeant, working in the Commissioner of Police’s Office. The father of three said God made it possible for the church to catch him right in the act.
His words: “God made it possible for the church to catch me. He made it so because I went into his house to steal. It was a temptation, but I have learnt my lesson. I don’t even know how I would look into the eyes of my wife and tell her that I was arrested for going into a church.”
Revealing more details about the thief, the police said Patrick enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 2002 and later dismissed in 2005 for desertion. He was alleged to have disappeared from his duty post for 75 days without notice. Patrick however explained that his superior officer lied against him in 2005.
He said that it was only seven days he took off duty, adding that he sent messages across, explaining that he was sick. He said: “I was serving at Badagry Police Station back then as a constable. I was sick and only took off for seven days. I sent a written note to my superior officer to tell him I was sick.
He lied that I took off for 75 days. The police lied against me. I wasn’t even given an orderly room trial before I was dismissed.”
The police said: “On Monday, around 5:30am, Patrick went to SS Philip and James Catholic Church, opposite Alpha Beach, Lekki. He was arrested in the church premises. He was trying to remove money from the offering purse.
“He carried the bag to a hidden area in the church and was struggling to open it when one of the security men saw him. He was taken to the priest of the church. He told the priest that he was a policeman.
“He insisted that he came to attend morning mass. When the priest asked him what he wanted to do with the purse, he said he moved it because he wanted to make the church clean.”
Police said Patrick would be charged with sacrilege and impersonation.
Narrating how he was caught, Patrick said: “I didn’t want to steal the money bag. I only wanted to move it. I came to the church to attend morning mass. Usually, after morning mass, some people will sweep the church.
I wanted to join in sweeping the church. I came before the mass started. I moved the bag to the choir stand. I moved it because I wanted to see what was inside. I tried to open it, but I couldn’t. The security man on duty saw me.
I told him I came to pray in the church. He took me to the priest; the priest said if I had come to him to tell him that I needed help, he would have assisted me.”
Asked where he got police ID cards, Patrick said: “There’s somewhere behind the Force Annex Headquarters, Obalende, where they used to make them it.
All you need to do is to present your passport. I did the ID card because of transport fare. I didn’t want to pay if I board commercial buses. If I present the police ID card, bus conductors wouldn’t collect fare from me.”
