ENUGU: The Enugu State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 38 suspects in connection with the brutal killing of Rev. Fr. Mathew Eya, a Catholic priest of the Nsukka Diocese, who was ambushed and shot dead by gunmen on September 19, 2025.
Fr. Eya, the parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu, had traveled to Enugu city on pastoral duties and was returning to his parish in the late evening when the attackers struck.
According to security sources and community accounts, the priest’s vehicle was forced to a halt along the lonely Eha-Ndiagu–Eha-Etiti Road in Eha-Alumona community, Nsukka Local Government Area.
The gunmen, suspected to be armed herdsmen, emerged from nearby bushes and opened fire without warning.
Witnesses say the priest attempted to maneuver his car away from the assailants, but he was hit by multiple bullets to the chest and abdomen.
His vehicle veered off the road and came to a stop by a ditch. By the time local residents arrived, the assailants had disappeared into the surrounding forest.
The attackers reportedly did not attempt to abduct him or steal his vehicle, a detail that has raised questions about whether the priest was deliberately targeted or killed in a random act of terror meant to instill fear in the community.
News of his death spread quickly, sparking grief and outrage across the Nsukka Diocese. Parishioners described Fr. Eya as a selfless priest known for his simplicity, dedication to service, and support for youths and families in his parish.
“He was not just our parish priest but a father to many of us,” said a tearful parishioner during a candlelight procession held in his honor. “To kill a man of God in this manner is wickedness beyond words.”
Community leaders accused the government of failing to act on repeated warnings about rising insecurity in the area. Several residents noted that the Eha-Ndiagu–Eha-Etiti road has long been notorious for ambushes and kidnappings.
Reacting to the outrage, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, ordered a swift operation to track down the killers. In a statement released through the Command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, Giwa vowed that the culprits would not escape justice.
We suspect that the assailants are still within the locality, and we are determined to fish them out. This command will leave no stone unturned in apprehending those responsible, Giwa declared, while also commiserating with the family of the deceased and the Catholic Church.
Over the weekend, police operatives combed surrounding forests, mounted roadblocks, and raided criminal hideouts in Nsukka and neighboring local government areas. The operation led to the arrest of 38 suspects and the recovery of weapons and other incriminating exhibits.
The suspects are undergoing rigorous screening to determine their level of involvement in the crime, Ndukwe explained.
We are committed to ensuring that those directly linked to the killing face the full weight of the law.
The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka condemned the killing in strong terms, calling it “an attack not only on the Church but on humanity.” In a statement signed by diocesan officials, the Church urged authorities to bring the killers to justice swiftly.
The statement read: We mourn the violent death of our brother, Rev. Fr. Mathew Eya. His assassination underscores the grave insecurity our priests and parishioners face daily. We demand concrete action to protect lives and ensure this evil does not continue unchecked.
Clergy members across Enugu held prayer vigils on Sunday, with calls for improved security in rural communities where priests often serve without protection.
The assassination of Fr. Eya highlights a worsening security situation in Enugu and other southeastern states. In recent years, rural communities in Nsukka, Isi-Uzo, and Uzo-Uwani LGAs have been subjected to repeated raids by gunmen.
Farmers, traders, students, and clergy have become regular targets of kidnappings, extortion, and outright assassinations.
Analysts note that the porous forest borders connecting Enugu with Kogi and Benue states make it easy for criminal gangs and armed herdsmen to launch attacks and retreat without immediate detection.
In a report released earlier this year, the Civil Society Network on Security documented at least 46 cases of abductions and 19 killings in Nsukka zone alone within the past 12 months.
The murder of Fr. Eya adds to a disturbing list of Nigerian priests who have been killed or kidnapped in recent years. In 2023 and 2024 alone, no fewer than 25 priests across the country were abducted, some later found dead.
“This trend is deeply troubling because priests often serve in isolated communities where security presence is minimal, said Emmanuel Onah, a civil society advocate. When priests become targets, it undermines the morale of entire communities who look up to them for hope and stability.
Human rights groups argue that repeated killings of priests and community leaders expose the weaknesses of Nigeria’s security architecture.
They have called for better intelligence gathering, community policing, and the deployment of more resources to rural flashpoints.
“Arrests alone are not enough, said Onah. What matters is credible prosecution and conviction of those responsible. Too often, suspects are paraded but justice is never served.
As the Nsukka Diocese prepares for the burial of Fr. Eya, his parishioners remain in mourning. Many fear that without decisive government action, insecurity will continue to spiral out of control.
For residents of Eha-Alumona, the priest’s murder has left scars that will not easily heal. He died serving God and humanity,said Chief Ugwoke, a community elder. The least the government can do is ensure his death is not in vain.
While the arrest of 38 suspects represents progress, the community is watching closely to see if this case will mark a turning point in the fight against insecurity in Enugu State.
For now, Fr. Eya’s tragic death serves as yet another painful reminder of the cost of unchecked violence in Nigeria’s rural heartlands.
