The police have launched a manhunt for the gunmen who murdered Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, a Catholic priest in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Giwa, directed the Udenu Area Commander, together with heads of tactical and operational squads, to track down the fleeing assailants immediately after the incident was reported.
According to Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, operatives under the Udenu Area Command have arrested thirty-eight suspects following bush combing and raids on criminal hideouts in the area. He said incriminating items were recovered, and the suspects are currently undergoing screening.
Giwa expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and the Catholic Church, pledging that the command would ensure the perpetrators face justice.
Fr. Eya, parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu, was ambushed last Friday by gunmen on a motorcycle along Eha-Ndiagu Road. They intercepted his vehicle and shot him dead on the spot.
The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka confirmed the killing in a statement signed by its Chancellor, Fr. Cajetan Iyidobi, who described the death as shocking and devastating, urging the faithful to remain prayerful.
The killing adds to a disturbing trend of violent attacks on Catholic priests in Nigeria. In May, gunmen shot Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo along the Makurdi–Naka Road in Benue State, while in March, bandits killed Rev. Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu after kidnapping him in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.