Gunmen, reportedly fleeing from an undisclosed incident on Christmas Day, shot an assistant parish priest of Saint Kelvin Catholic Church, Ogbaku, in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State.
The priest, whose identity had not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting, was reportedly shot around 8 a.m. while approaching the church gate for morning Mass.
A source, speaking anonymously, said the priest was hit in the right hand and added that the attacker was not seen at the scene. The gunmen appeared to have fired from a concealed and distant location, making it difficult for witnesses to identify them.
The priest was rushed to an undisclosed hospital and is currently receiving medical care, with prayers ongoing for his recovery.
The source recounted: “The shooting happened on Christmas Day when everyone was in a joyous mood. The priest was trying to enter the gate for morning Mass when we suddenly heard a sound, and then he was in pain, having been shot. Probably it was a stray bullet from somewhere nearby, but nobody saw who fired it. Meanwhile, the priest is being treated for gunshot wounds in the hospital, and prayers continue for his survival.”
DSP Henry Okoye, Police Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Command, confirmed awareness of the incident but noted that it had not yet been formally reported to the police. He added that the Divisional Police Officer for Owerri West had visited the church to verify the claims and requested to see the priest to assist with the investigation.
The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, also confirmed the shooting but said the identities of the attackers remain unknown. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
