The parish priest of St. James the Great Catholic Church, Ugbawka, Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
Fr. Offu was killed late Thursday at Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu.
The Communication’s Director of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, has confirmed the incident.
A statement by the diocese on Facebook said: “With a deep sense of sorrow, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu announces the tragic death of Rev. Fr. Paul Offu who was shot dead this evening (1st August 2019) by some hoodlums suspected to be the notorious and murderous herdsmen, along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu LGA.”
The killing of the priest comes barely five months after the parish priest of St. Mark Catholic Church, Obinofia Ndiuno, Rev. Fr. Clement Ugwu, was killed in Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state.
Fr. Ugwu’s body was found in a bush after his parishioners embarked on a one-week search. He had been kidnapped on March 20.
Police in Enugu have not made an official statement on the incident.
