Nigerian priest killed; killings, kidnappings prompt fear of genocide of Christians

(OSV News) -- The church in Nigeria, ravaged by kidnappings of clergy, mourns Father Mathew Eya, killed Sept. 19 as he was returning to his parish of St. Charles in Eha-Ndiagu, in Enugu state.

In what looked like execution-style murder, the attackers, riding on a motorcycle, intercepted the priest's vehicle near the site of a hospital construction site, first shooting at the tires to stop the car and then killing Father Eya at close range.

The local government of Enugu described the killing as "cowardly" and "cold-blooded" and placed a $6,700 reward on information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

"We will not spare any resources within our reach, including technology and credible intelligence, to track down the criminals and defeat the remnant agents of evil in the state," said communications officer Malachy Agbo in a Sept. 20 statement.

The State Police said it has arrested 38 suspects in connection with the killing.

Meanwhile, after several days in captivity, Father Wilfred Ezeamba, who is serving at St. Paul Parish in Agaliga-Efabo in Kogi state, regained his freedom Sept. 16. The priest was kidnapped on Sept. 12.

"We are overjoyed to have our priest back with us," Grace Idoko, a local parishioner, told Africa Independent Television channel.

"His abduction left us in fear, but God has answered our prayers," Idoko said.

The Diocese of Idah issued a statement expressing gratitude to God for the safe return of the priest.

"We thank God Almighty for his mercy and the security agencies for their efforts. We also appreciate the prayers and support of the faithful during this trying time."

Two other parishioners who were kidnapped alongside the priest were also released.

Father Ezeamba is receiving medical attention and counseling to enable him to deal with the trauma. It's not clear if any ransom was paid, but police said two suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping.

The kidnappings and killings reflect the broader issue of Christian persecution in Nigeria.

Emeka Umeagbalasi, director of the Catholic-inspired NGO, Intersociety, raised concerns that cases of kidnappings and killings of Catholic clergy are not properly investigated by Nigerian authorities.

"Was (Father Eya) killed by a mob? If truly he was assassinated by people on a motorbike, why arrest up to 38 people?" he asked.

"I believe a lot of innocent people have been arrested, diverting attention from the real killers, who will go and plan for their next attack," Umeagbalasi said.

He suggested that the priest might have been assassinated on religious grounds and suspected Fulani herders to be behind the killing, because "Jihadist Fulani herdsmen have been running amok in Enugu."

The recent kidnaping and killing aren't isolated incidents. They are part of a broader system of Christian persecution in Nigeria, according to Umeagbalasi.

Statistics from Nigeria's bishops' conference indicate that 145 priests have been kidnapped in Nigeria over the past 10 years. Some have been killed.

Umeagbalasi told OSV News however that the number may be much higher and that he is aware of 250 Catholic priests who had been kidnapped in Nigeria since 2015.

At least 350 clerics from other denominations have also been taken within the same time frame, he added.

Kidnappings in Nigeria have become what the Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto told OSV News is "a criminal industrial complex" that generates millions of dollars in revenue.

A study by the Africa-focused SBM Intelligence firm lifts the veil on the grim business, stating in their August 2024 report that between July 2023 and June 2024, hostage-takers had demanded $32 million ransom for the release of 7,568 people abducted.

Even though the sums eventually paid were smaller, it's still a lucrative business, according to experts.

Besides the economic incentives, Umeagbalasi believes the kidnapping of clergy and lay Christians is part of a genocidal campaign by Jihadists intent on wiping out Christianity from Nigeria.

The latest Intersociety report revealed that an average of 32 Christians are killed in Nigeria every day. The report published in August indicates that as many as 7,000 Christians were massacred across Nigeria in the first 220 days of 2025.

It said at least 185,000 people, including 125,000 Christians and 60,000 moderate Muslims had been killed in Nigeria since 2009 when terrorist group Boko Haram began its murderous campaign intended to set up a caliphate across the Sahel.

Umeagbalasi said what's happening in Nigeria is similar to what happened in some regions that were once defined by Christianity and later were emptied of it.

"If the trend continues, Christianity could be wiped out from Nigeria by 2075," Umeagbalasi told OSV News.