Parish Priest Arrested for Allegedly Shooting Boy During New Year Celebration in Imo

• Parish priest arrested for allegedly shooting a boy during New Year celebrations in Imo.
• Incident occurred amid chaotic explosions at midnight Mass.
• Police investigating; boy’s body deposited in a morgue.

The Parish Priest of St. Columba Catholic Church in Amaimo, Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, Rev. Fr. Joseph Enyiaka, is assisting the State Police Command in investigating the death of a gunshot victim in the community.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Henry Okoye, confirmed the investigation in a terse statement, saying, “Yes. A detailed investigation has been initiated to ascertain the remote facts surrounding the incident. Further developments will be communicated in due course.”

A villager, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident: “What began as a typical New Year celebration tragically turned into a disaster when our Parish Priest reportedly shot a young boy in the church compound.

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There was a midnight Mass that evening, but for unknown reasons, several individuals arrived at the church grounds with explosives. The explosions were so loud and chaotic that it was difficult to determine what was being detonated, and it caused panic among the congregation.

“Fearing a more dangerous situation, the priest armed himself. While I cannot say what led to the shooting, everything changed when we heard that a boy had died. The Mass abruptly ended, and the worshippers fled in fear.”

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When asked about the priest’s relationship with the community, the villager remarked, “He’s a very well-liked individual who has done a lot for our Parish. He completed and dedicated our Parish church. Just the day before, he celebrated his silver jubilee as a Catholic priest.”

Efforts to reach the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese for a statement were unsuccessful by press time.

Sources say the boy’s body has been deposited at a morgue in a nearby community, and the police investigation is ongoing.

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