There was uproar and commotion on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the St Ferdinand Catholic Church, 215 Sector 6th Road, Ipaja area in Alimosho LGA of Lagos State when a 42-year-old man on a naval cap, who went to the church, armed with a gun and other dangerous weapons during service was arrested.
According to media reports, the arrest of the suspect, Ono Macaulay, caused commotion and confusion in the church as the worshippers alleged that he had come to the church to attack them during the service.
According to the worshippers, the Police intelligence from Ipaja Division led by their DPO, CSP Tokunbo Aboniwonda, arrested the suspect, Macaulay with the gun and recovered other weapons as exhibits in the process.
He had already smuggled the weapons into the church before the eagle eyes of the security on duty in the church suspected and accosted him for a routine search, which he initially resisted. But when he realized that he will not escape, he surrendered and the Police recovered the weapons and immediately arrested him. He was then taken to the station for interrogation over the conduct.
The motive behind his action was not disclosed by the suspect, who claimed that he was a member of the church and had come to the church for Mass with the weapons. But the worshippers disagreed and insisted that he had another motive, which made him come to the church with the weapons probably to attack the worshippers during the Mass.
During interrogation, the Police also discovered that he was not naval personnel and was wearing the cap as a cover-up to commit a crime before he was eventually caught.
Having been found culpable, he was arraigned before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, for unlawful possession of a gun and other dangerous weapons including the naval cap he wore while not naval personnel, of which he pleaded not guilty.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs K.A Ariyo, granted him bail in the sum of #500,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the Court.
He was remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions while the matter was adjourned to July 10, 2022.
