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There is palpable tension in Enugu State following the gruesome murder of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
The incident occurred on Friday evening along the Eha-Alumona–Eha-Ndiagu Road in Nsukka Local Government Area.
Fr. Eya, until his death, was the parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu.
Initial reports had suggested that the assailants were kidnappers who attacked the cleric while he was travelling.
A viral post on social media claimed that he was killed instantly after gunmen opened fire on his vehicle, while some passengers were abducted.
However, sources in the community told newsmen on Saturday morning that the killing appeared to be a targeted assassination.
According to one source, the priest was driving alone when the attackers, who rode on motorbikes, intercepted him near the site of the ongoing Type C hospital project.
“They shot and deflated his tyres, forcing the vehicle to stop. They then approached and shot him multiple times at close range. This does not look like a kidnapping situation,” the source stated.
Confirming the tragic development, the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Fr. Cajetan Iyidobi, issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the loss.
“Shocked to the marrow, it is with crushing pain and sorrow, yet with total submission to the will of the Almighty God and firm hope in the resurrection of the dead, that I inform you of the tragic death of yet another brother of ours, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya.
“He was shot dead yesterday, 19 September 2025, along the Eha-Alumona–Eha-Ndiagu Road. Let us remain ardent in prayer that God sees us through this period of devastating anguish. May his soul rest in peace. Amen,” the statement reads.
