By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—TWO suspected armed robbers, who were said to have allegedly invaded the Bishop’s Court at St James Cathedral in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State were shot dead by the Police, Monday.

The suspects were shot in an attempt to escape while being interrogated by the police, even as a third suspect, who was said to have been the informant that led to the robbery, is said to be in police custody for further interrogation.

The main suspect (names withheld) is a close confidant of the Bishop and had been an adopted son of the Bishop, Rt Rev Jolly Oyekpen, and his family.

He was said to have informed his other two accomplices about N954,000 at the Bishop’s Court, which Vanguard was informed was meant to be deposited in the bank.

One of the suspects is said to be from Delta State, but a farmer in neighbouring Owan com-munity, while the other hails from Jattu in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

They were said to have stormed the premises in the early hours of Monday and carted away the money and some other valuables, such as mobile phones.

Vanguard learned that the main suspect had confessed to the police that he actually gave information about the money to his late friends.

The two dead suspects were said to have met their waterloo in nearby Ikpeshi, where the police, through the principal suspect, called on the two to come for another deal of N2 million.

On arrival, they were said to have sensed danger and wanted to escape when police opened fire on them.

One of the suspects reportedly died on the spot, while the other died later.

It was gathered that the principal suspect’s share of the loot was N300,000 and had reportedly spent N20,000 of the amount before he was arrested.

He was said to have also been planning his marriage, which date had already been fixed for later in the year.

A senior police officer at Igarra Police Station said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Benin.

Police spokesman in Edo State, Joseph Edoighiawerie, said: “I am not in the office right now, but once I get back to the office, I will get details and get back to you.”