A Nigerian Catholic priest, Fr Matthew Eya, has been assassinated by unknown gunmen while returning to his parish in Enugu State on Friday evening.
Fr Eya, who served as the parish priest of St Charles Catholic Church in the Diocese of Nsukka, was reportedly driving along the Eha-Alumona–Eha-Ndiagu road when assailants on a motorcycle intercepted his vehicle and opened fire. He died instantly at the scene.
Confirming the tragedy in a statement on the Diocese of Nsukka’s official Facebook page, Fr Cajetan Iyidobi, Chancellor of the Diocese, expressed deep sorrow:
“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. He was shot dead yesterday, 19 September 2025, along the Eha-Alumona–Eha-Ndiagu road. Let us remain ardent in prayer that God sees us through this period of devastating anguish. May his soul rest in peace. Amen.”
The killing adds to a growing wave of attacks targeting Christians in Nigeria. Since 2000, an estimated 62,000 Christian civilians have been killed due to jihadist violence. In 2024 alone, 3,100 Christians were killed and 2,830 kidnapped, according to Open Doors, which ranked Nigeria as the most dangerous country for Christians that year.
Just days before, on 14 September, Fulani militias murdered six Christians in Plateau State. Reports by Catholic criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi, Director of the NGO International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), allege that Fulani militias benefit from federal support and suspected foreign jihadist funding.
The 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors currently places Nigeria at number 7 among the top 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution — ahead of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Government has announced a ₦10 million reward (approx. £5,000 or $6,700) for credible information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible for Fr Eya’s murder.
