Six suspected armed robbers on Monday dispossessed the residents of Emmanuel Baptist Church Cathedral, Sabo Oke in Ilorin, Kwara State, of their belongings.

A source in the church, who pleaded anonymity, said the pastorate were robbed of their laptops, trinkets and unspecified amount of money.

The bandits were said to have targetted the amount collected during a fund-raising of the church, which took place on Sunday.

They were said to have scaled the fence of the church from the back, overpowered the five private guards on duty and tied them with ropes.

One of the security guards, who pleaded anonymity, said the robbers ordered one of them to lead them to the Church strong room.

He added that the robbers  used diggers, sledge hammers and axe to break the safe but did not find any money there.

The source stated that the disappointed robbers directed the security guards to lead them to the vicarage.

He added that the robbers forced the vicarage open and ordered the vicar (names withheld) to bring out the church money or  risked being shot dead.

The security man said one of them had to plead with the robbers, who were ready to shoot the cleric  that the vicar did not keep the church money and only relied on his salary.

He added that the robbers proceeded to rob the entire vicarage and left after operating for about three hours.

Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State command, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, said the police did not get any distress call  from the church concerning the robbery.

He added that the command had yet to get an official report of the robbery from the church.