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How Gunmen Assassinated Catholic Priest in Enugu, Govt Places ₦10m Bounty
Tension has gripped Enugu State following the brutal murder of Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu, Nsukka Local Government Area.
The priest was ambushed and shot dead on Friday, September 19, 2025, along the Eha-Alumona – Eha-Ndiagu road. Eyewitnesses said the assailants, who rode on a motorbike, trailed him, shot out his vehicle tyres, and then fired multiple close-range shots at him.
Contrary to initial claims that the incident was linked to kidnapping, sources insist the attack bore the hallmarks of a targeted assassination, as the priest was driving alone when he was killed.
The cleric, a native of Ugbaike in Igbo-Eze North LGA, was returning from Enugu when the attack occurred, near an ongoing hospital project site.
Church Confirms Loss
The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, in a statement signed by its Chancellor, Fr. Cajetan Iyidobi, confirmed the tragic development.
“Shocked to the marrow, it is with crushing pain and sorrow, yet a total submission to the will of the Almighty God… that I inform you of the tragic death of Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya,” the statement read.
“He was shot dead yesterday, September 19, 2025, along Eha-Alumona – Eha-Ndiagu road. May his soul rest in peace. Amen.”
Government Reaction
Enugu State Government has condemned the killing in strong terms. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Malachy Uchenna Agbo, described the murder as cowardly and cold-blooded.
The government also announced a ₦10 million bounty for credible information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators, urging citizens to provide intelligence via the hotline: 07077451426.
“We have the technology, human resources, and capacity to track down and defeat the remnant workers of evil in the state,” the government assured.
Silence from Police
As of the time of filing this report, the police have yet to issue an official statement on the killing.
Meanwhile, mourning has enveloped the Nsukka Catholic Diocese, the family of the deceased, and the wider Catholic community.
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