Gunmen suspected to have been fleeing from an undisclosed incident on Christmas Day reportedly shot an assistant parish priest of Saint Kelvin Catholic Church, Ogbaku, in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
The priest, whose identity had not been officially confirmed as of press time, was said to have been shot at about 8:00 a.m. while approaching the church gate for the Christmas morning Mass. According to an anonymous source, the priest sustained a gunshot injury to his right hand.
The source explained that the attackers were not seen at the scene, adding that the shot appeared to have been fired from a concealed and distant location, making it difficult to identify the assailant. The injured priest was immediately rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment, while prayers continue for his recovery.
Recounting the incident, the source said, “The shooting happened on Christmas Day when everyone was in a joyous mood. The priest was about to enter the church gate for morning Mass when we suddenly heard a sound, and the next thing, he was in pain, saying he had been shot. It may have been a stray bullet from a nearby location, but the strange thing is that no one saw who fired the shot. He is now receiving treatment in the hospital, and prayers are ongoing for his survival.”
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Command, DSP Henry Okoye, said the matter had not yet been formally reported to the police. He noted that although the church had not officially lodged a complaint, the Divisional Police Officer of Owerri West had visited the church to verify the incident and requested to see the priest to assist with investigations.
The Catholic Archbishop of the Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, also confirmed the shooting but stated that the identity of those responsible remains unknown.
Police authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.