Police Arrest 38 Over Murder of Enugu Catholic Priest

The Enugu State Police Command has launched an intensive manhunt for the killers of Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, a Catholic priest of the Nsukka Catholic Diocese, with at least 38 suspects arrested in connection with the heinous crime. The arrest follows a series of coordinated operations aimed at bringing the perpetrators to justice for the gruesome murder that has sent shockwaves across the state. In a statement on Sunday, the Command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed that the suspects were picked up during a comprehensive bush-combing and raid on identified criminal black spots in the area.

The late priest, who was the parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu, was killed on the night of Friday, September 19, 2025. According to Dependable NG, he was returning from Enugu when his vehicle, a cream-colored Toyota Corolla, was ambushed along the Eha-Ndiagu Eha-Etiti Road in the Eha-Alumona community of Nsukka Local Government Area. Eyewitnesses recounted a chilling tale: the assailants, who were on motorcycles, first shot at the tires of his vehicle, forcing it to a stop, before firing multiple shots at him at close range. The speed and method of the attack led to the conclusion that the killing was a targeted assassination rather than a kidnapping, a disturbing sign of the escalating insecurity in the region.

The murder of Rev. Fr. Eya is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern of attacks on Catholic priests and seminarians in Nigeria. Over the past decade, hundreds of Catholic clergy have been abducted for ransom, with a number of them tragically losing their lives in captivity. This persistent targeting of religious leaders has become a significant source of concern for the church and the public. The late priest hailed from Ugbaike in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, and his death has brought an immense sense of pain and loss to both his immediate family and the broader Catholic community. The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Fr. Cajetan Iyidobi, released a statement confirming the tragic incident and urging the faithful to remain steadfast in prayer during this period of grief.

In response to the outrage sparked by the killing, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, ordered a rigorous manhunt to apprehend the fleeing assailants. The police chief also commiserated with the family of the late priest and the Catholic Church, reassuring them that the police would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice. In a show of seriousness, the Enugu State Government has not only condemned the act as cowardly and cold-blooded but has also placed a N10 million reward for any credible information that could lead to the arrest of the criminals. The government’s move, which is designed to harness the power of community intelligence, underscores the gravity of the security situation in the Nsukka area, a region that has witnessed a rise in criminal activities, including a recent attack on the home of a Deputy Inspector General of Police.

The tragic death of Rev. Fr. Eya serves as a stark reminder of the security challenges facing Nigeria. However, the swift and coordinated response by the police and the state government provides a glimmer of hope that a new, more robust approach to crime-fighting is taking hold. The ongoing screening of the 38 suspects and the intensified manhunt for the masterminds are critical steps toward ensuring that such a heinous crime does not go unpunished. The collaboration between security agencies and the community will be key to dismantling the criminal networks responsible for the violence and restoring peace and security to the region.