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Shift Media News 
BY SHIFTMEDIA NEWS
NIGERIA|SHIFTMEDIA| A pair of remorseful robbers are said to have begged for God’s forgiveness while stealing from a Nigerian church.
Solomon Ukeyima, the St. Augustine parish priest in the Demekpe region of Makurdi, told local authorities that the contrite burglars had broken into the parish house, taking the church’s most valuable items with them.
“The robbers were calm throughout the operation. They kept begging for forgiveness. They did that throughout the period of the robbery,” Ukeyima told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, according to the Premium Times in Nigeria.
“I love the confidence and the calmness in them,” the cleric added. “One of them, for anything he picked, he would say, ‘Forgive us, Father.’ ”
The State Police Command in Benue reportedly confirmed the burglary and have opened an investigation, their public relations officer told NAN.
Ukeyima reported that the thieves entered the parish quarters around 2 a.m. Monday after scaling a surrounding wrought-iron fence and climbing up the building to a window into the priest’s study.
The repentant offenders managed to abscond with phones, sound equipment, clothing, food and tithings, while also fruitlessly demanding 5 million in the Nigerian currency naira (about $13,000 USD).
“I told them that I don’t have that kind of money. I told them what I had and gave that to them,” he explained.
He went on to say that he bears no grievance against the apparently desperate thieves.
“I have forgiven them and I ask others to also pray for them,” Ukeyima said. “They are young people. There is one of them that was speaking impeccable English.
“Let them make a complete U-turn and put to good use the talent that they have.” (SOURCE NYP)
