Horror in Ogun as Church Guard Killed on Altar

Residents of Akute-Odo in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State were gripped by fear and confusion on Monday morning after unidentified assailants stormed Christ Crusaders’ Deliverance Ministries and brutally killed the church’s security guard, popularly called Baba Iwo.
A correspondent who visited the community on Tuesday gathered from locals and video clips circulating within the area that the attackers struck inside the church, where the guard was reportedly butchered on the altar.

Footage shared on Tuesday showed the lifeless body of Baba Iwo lying on the altar, with the rug beneath him soaked in blood. In one of the clips, which lasted less than a minute and was seen by PUNCH Metro, the deceased, dressed in Ankara fabric, appeared to have suffered a near-severed neck.
A resident, identified simply as Ajoke, said the incident occurred around 1am on Monday during a power outage in the area.
According to her, Baba Iwo, who had been outside the church premises, became suspicious after noticing movement within the compound.
“With his cutlass in hand, he informed another security guard working nearby that he was going inside the church to check what was happening,” she said.
Ajoke added that when he did not return after some time, the other guard became worried.
“When he peeped through the church entrance, he saw Baba Iwo lying helpless on the altar. He also noticed someone believed to be one of the attackers hiding behind a door, and that was when he raised the alarm,” she explained.
Another resident, Moses, told PUNCH Metro that the attackers appeared to have attempted to decapitate the victim but were prevented by the swift response of youths in the community.
“If you saw his head, the neck was almost completely cut. I believe they tried several times to remove it, but for the quick intervention of the youths, they would have succeeded,” he said.
Although the exact number of attackers remains uncertain, one suspect allegedly involved in the crime was apprehended while attempting to flee and later handed over to operatives of the Ajuwon Police Division.
In another video obtained by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, the suspect was seen with visible bruises, a bloodied nose and a swollen face as residents restrained him while awaiting the police.
One of those involved in the arrest, identified as Dare, said two residents sustained injuries during the struggle.
“It was very difficult to catch him. We heard there were three attackers, but only one was apprehended while trying to escape. We chased him, shouting ‘thief, thief.’
“When he realised he might be caught, he also began shouting ‘thief’ until we overpowered him near the tollgate. Before we subdued him, he injured two of us with the large cutlass he was holding,” Dare said.
Another eyewitness, identified only as Tife, alleged that the suspect made disturbing remarks while being questioned by residents.
“He said what they do is cut off people’s heads. The police must conduct a thorough investigation. If he truly said there were three of them, the church’s CCTV footage should be reviewed to confirm whether the others escaped,” she said.
Tife also claimed that the suspect damaged streetlights while fleeing.
“As he was running, he was smashing street bulbs so he wouldn’t be recognised. A proper investigation is necessary, and the church should provide its CCTV footage,” she added.
When contacted on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Babaseyi Oluseyi, confirmed that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
He stated that the body of the deceased had been released to his family in accordance with Islamic rites, adding that investigations were ongoing.
“The body was released to the family because they are Muslims. The investigation is ongoing, and we cannot speculate. The findings of the investigation will reveal the details,” Oluseyi said.
He further noted that certain aspects of the investigation would remain confidential until it is concluded.
“There are details that must remain discreet for now. Once the investigation is completed, the findings will be made public,” he added.
The incident has heightened fears over worsening security in the community.
The attack came less than a week after a gospel artiste, Matthew Ogundele, and three members of his crew were discovered dead in a music studio in the same area.
The other victims were identified as Itunu Ogundele, Joseph Sanya, and a blogger, Matthew Awosanya, popularly known as JoesTV. They had reportedly been invited to perform at a three-day birthday praise programme organised by another gospel artiste. (The PUNCH, headline rejigged).