By RismadarVoice Media
December 26, 2925
Gunmen suspected to be fleeing an undisclosed incident on Christmas Day have shot an assistant Parish priest of St. Kelvin Catholic Church, Ogbaku, in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 8:00am, as the priest was approaching the church gate to officiate morning Mass.
As of press time, the identity of the priest had not been officially confirmed.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the priest sustained a gunshot injury to his right hand, adding that the assailant was not seen at the scene.
According to the source, the gunmen were believed to have fired from a concealed, distant location, making it difficult for anyone present to identify the shooter.
The injured priest was immediately rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where he is currently receiving medical attention.
Members of the church, the wider Christian community are said to be offering prayers for his recovery.
“The shooting happened on Christmas Day when everyone was in a joyous mood,” the source said. “The priest was trying to enter the gate for morning Mass when we suddenly heard a gunshot.
The next thing, he was in pain, saying he had been shot. It could have been a stray bullet from somewhere nearby, but the surprising thing was that nobody saw who fired the shot.”
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.
However, he disclosed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Owerri West had visited the church to verify the incident, requested to see the injured priest to aid investigation.
“Yes, I am aware of the incident, although the church is yet to officially report it,” Okoye said.
The Catholic Archbishop of the Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, also confirmed the shooting, however noted that the identity of those responsible remains unknown.
Police authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
