crime

Gunmen Kill Catholic Priest Rev. Fr. Eya in Enugu

Published

1 year ago

September 20, 2025

A wave of grief in Enugu as gunmen assassinate Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya in Nsukka LGA. Diocese mourns amid rising insecurity

Enugu Catholic priest killed A wave of shock and grief has enveloped Enugu State after Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, was brutally shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Nsukka Local Government Area.

Also read: Enugu Police Launch Decisive Crime Crackdown

The tragic incident happened on Friday evening, September 19, 2025, along the Eha-Alumona–Eha-Ndiagu Road.

Initial reports suggested a botched kidnapping, but eyewitness accounts indicate a targeted assassination. According to local sources, assailants on motorbikes ambushed the priest’s vehicle near an ongoing hospital construction site.

“They shot at his tyres to immobilise the car, then approached and shot him multiple times at close range. This was no kidnapping attempt—it looked like a deliberate hit,” a community source told journalists.

Fr. Eya, originally from Ugbaike in Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA, was reportedly driving alone at the time. Social media claims of abducted passengers remain unverified.

The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka confirmed the killing in a sorrowful statement signed by Chancellor Rev. Fr. Cajetan Iyidobi:

“Shocked to the marrow, it is with crushing pain and sorrow yet with total submission to the will of Almighty God and firm hope in the resurrection of the dead—that I inform you of the tragic death of our brother, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya.

He was shot dead yesterday along the Eha-Alumona–Eha-Ndiagu Road.”

Fr. Iyidobi described the moment as one of “devastating anguish” and urged the faithful to remain prayerful.

The Enugu State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement, but investigations are expected to commence immediately.

Also read: Sisters Arrested for Kidnapping Brother in Shocking Enugu Case

The killing has heightened tension across Nsukka and surrounding communities, with residents and religious groups demanding urgent government action to safeguard clergy and citizens from rising insecurity in the region.

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crime

Police Arrest 41-Year-Old Over Murder of Bayelsa Sand Dealer

Published

1 day ago

November 10, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a 41-year-old man, Somkiemi Tommy, over the alleged murder of a sand business operator, Thankgod Kalaba, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police Ani Iniedu, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Monday.

According to the police, Kalaba was allegedly murdered after visiting a river on October 29, 2026. His body was reportedly tied to a boat and submerged in the water.

Iniedu said the police began investigating the incident after receiving a report about the victim’s disappearance and suspected murder.

Preliminary findings reportedly indicated that the victim had been trailed and killed by Tommy.

The police spokesperson added that the suspect allegedly tied Kalaba’s body to a boat before submerging it in the river in an attempt to conceal the crime.

He said the suspect was arrested by police operatives working in collaboration with youths in Yenaka.

“Acting on the report, police operatives, in collaboration with Yenaka youths, successfully arrested the suspect,” Iniedu stated.

Tommy is currently in police custody, while the Criminal Investigation Department has commenced further investigations into the circumstances surrounding the killing.

The police said the investigation would establish the events leading to Kalaba’s death and determine whether other individuals were involved.

The suspect is expected to face prosecution if the allegations are established by investigators.

The police have yet to disclose the motive behind the alleged murder.