Amidst missing of retired Anglican Archbishop, gunmen kill Catholic priest in Anambra

The Catholic Diocese of Nnewi has announced the tragic killing of Reverend Father Tobias Chukwujekwu Okonkwo, a priest and pharmacist, who was shot dead by unknown gunmen on Boxing Day.

In a statement signed by Rev. Fr. Raphael Ezeogu, Chancellor of the Nnewi Diocese, the incident occurred between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway in Ihiala.

“This is a devastating loss, but we remain consoled by divine hope,” the statement read.

The Diocese revealed that Rev. Fr. Okonkwo, born on August 11, 1984, was ordained as a priest on July 11, 2015.

At the time of his death, he served as the Manager of the Schools of Nursing, Midwifery, and Medical Laboratory at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala.

The church also highlighted the insecurity in the region, noting that the killing comes just weeks after the abduction of Most Reverend Godwin Okpala, a 75-year-old retired Anglican Archbishop, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

“We call on the faithful to offer prayers and Holy Masses for the eternal rest of Fr. Tobias and to console his bereaved family,” the Diocese stated.

Funeral arrangements for Rev. Fr. Okonkwo will be announced in due course, as the church demands justice and peace amidst growing regional insecurity.