Tragedy in Enugu: Catholic Priest Fatally Shot in Targeted Attack

Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya

By Oluchi Omai

20 September 2025 - A wave of grief has swept through the Catholic community in Enugu State following the brutal killing of Reverend Father Matthew Eya, parish priest of Saint Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu. The incident occurred on Friday evening, along the Eha-Alumonah–Eha-Ndiagu Road in Nsukka Local Government Area, as the priest was returning from Enugu Urban.

Eyewitnesses described a chilling scene: armed assailants on a motorcycle intercepted Fr. Eya’s vehicle, a Toyota Camry, and opened fire. The attackers reportedly shot at the tyres to immobilise the car before approaching and firing multiple rounds at close range. The priest died instantly. No other passengers were harmed, and the gunmen fled immediately after the attack.

Initial speculation suggested a possible kidnapping attempt, but the nature of the assault—swift, targeted, and without demands—has led many to believe it was a deliberate assassination. “They didn’t ask for anything. They came for him,” said one local resident, visibly shaken.

A video clip circulating online shows the priest’s vehicle riddled with bullet holes, its windows shattered and the driver’s seat stained with blood. The footage has sparked widespread outrage and sorrow, with many calling for urgent action to address the rising insecurity in the region.

The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka confirmed the death in a statement issued by Chancellor Rev. Fr. Cajetan Iyidobi. “Shocked to the marrow, it is with crushing pain and sorrow, yet a total submission to the will of the Almighty God and a 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,” the statement read.

Fr. Eya hailed from Ugbaike in Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area. His death adds to a growing list of violent incidents in Nigeria’s South-East, a region grappling with escalating insecurity. While some government officials have linked such attacks to separatist movements, no group has claimed responsibility for this killing.

As the community mourns, calls for justice and improved security continue to echo. Fr. Eya is remembered not only as a priest but as a gentle soul committed to his parish and the people he served.