…the Catholic priest was reportedly returning from Enugu when the assailants ambushed him.
EHA-ALUMONA, NIGERIA – The iNews Times | A wave of mourning has swept across the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka following the gruesome murder of a serving priest, Rev. Fr. Mathew Eya, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Eha-Ndiagu community, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Fr. Eya, the parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu, was reportedly returning from Enugu when the assailants ambushed him near the site of an ongoing Type C hospital project.
According to eyewitness accounts and community sources, the attackers riding motorcycles targeted the priest’s vehicle, shot out his tyres to bring the car to a halt, and then approached and opened fire at close range.
“He was shot multiple times at point-blank range,” a local source who asked not to be named told The iNews Times on Saturday. “This didn’t look like a kidnapping incident. He was alone in the vehicle, and no attempt was made to abduct him. It was a direct, intentional killing.”
Initial social media reports had speculated that the incident was part of a kidnapping operation, claiming that others in the vehicle had been abducted. However, this version appears to be inaccurate, as further investigation revealed the priest was alone in the car at the time of the attack.
Fr. Eya hailed from Ugbaike in Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state. He was a respected clergyman known for his quiet dedication and service to his parish.
As of press time, neither the Enugu State Police Command nor the Diocese of Nsukka has released an official statement on the incident. The community remains tense, with parishioners and locals grappling with the shock of the loss.
The killing of Rev. Fr. Eya adds to a growing list of violent attacks targeting religious leaders and clergy in Nigeria, heightening fears over security and impunity, particularly in rural and semi-urban communities.
Investigations into the incident are expected to commence in earnest, even as the Catholic Church in Nsukka prepares to mourn one of its own under painful and tragic circumstances.
