Gunmen kill Catholic priest, one other in Imo

0

Tragedy struck in Nkwerre, in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State on Monday after some gunmen killed a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Jude Egbuom, and made away with his vehicle.

The gunmen were also said to have killed a youth who had yet to be identified.

The man was reportedly with the priest in his vehicle when the hoodlums struck.

A native of the community told our correspondent on Tuesday that the priest was until his death the priest in charge of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Amucha, in the Njaba LGA of the state.

It was gathered that he hailed from Umuwala, a village in Nkwerre community.

Our correspondent learnt that the priest was attacked around 8pm on his way to a barber’s on Anara-Nkwerre Road in Nkwerre town.

He was said to have resisted handing over his car key to the hoodlums.

The cleric was reportedly shot along with the other victim in his vehicle, while the criminals fled.

The source said, “The circumstances surrounding the killing of the priest indicated that it was a case of armed robbery.

“It could not have been a case of assassination because the gentle priest did not offend anybody. He was from our community, Nkwerre, and was doing his missionary work at Njaba, a nearby LGA.”

The state police spokesperson, Andrew Enwerem, confirmed the killings, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, had deployed tactical units of the command in the area.