Catholic priest Fr. Matthew Eya, parish priest of St. Charles Church in Eha-Ndiagu, was killed in a violent ambush on the evening of September 19 in Enugu State, southeastern Nigeria.
According to Fides, Fr. Eya was returning to his parish on the Eha-Alumonah–Eha-Ndiagu road in Nsukka County when at least two armed men on a motorcycle overtook his car. They reportedly shot at his tires, forced him to stop, and then fired multiple shots at close range. According to witnesses, the sequence of events suggests not a failed kidnapping, but a targeted assassination.
The tragic news was confirmed by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Nsukka, Msgr. Cajetan Iyidobi, in a message to the faithful: “Deeply shocked, filled with pain and sorrow, and with firm hope for the resurrection of the dead, I must announce the tragic death of another of our brothers, Father Matthew Eya.”
Police have since launched a manhunt for the killers. Authorities report that 38 people have been arrested, some of whom are suspected of involvement in the murder. The Enugu State government has also offered a reward of 10 million naira (about €5,700) for information leading to the capture of the perpetrators.
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