Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro, a priest of the Diocese of Lokoja, was murdered on July 29 after being attacked with a machete on Church Road in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, in central Nigeria.
The news was communicated by the diocese through a statement issued by the diocesan curia and reported by the Fides Agency.
«With deep sorrow and with the hope of the resurrection, the Catholic Diocese of Lokoja announces the death of our beloved priest, Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro», the statement reads, inviting priests, religious, and the faithful to commend his soul in prayer and to also pray for his family and the diocese.
Found lifeless beside a road
According to the Kogi State Police, the priest’s body was discovered on the morning of July 29 beside a road in Ajaokuta, after authorities received a report about the presence of a corpse.
Officers dispatched to the scene confirmed that the victim had severe machete wounds to the head.
The body was taken to ASCL Hospital, where death was certified, before being transferred to the morgue for an autopsy.
Subsequently, authorities identified the deceased as Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro, parish priest of St. Paul’s Church in Ayetoro Gbede, within the Ijumu Local Government Area, also in Kogi State.
Condemnation of the murder
The Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, described the crime as «an atrocious and unacceptable act» and expressed his condemnation of the priest’s murder.
For its part, the Diocese of Lokoja has asked the entire Catholic community to remember Father Oyetoro during Eucharistic celebrations and to accompany his family and the local Church with prayer during this time of mourning.
Violence against priests continues in Nigeria
The murder of Father Samuel Opeyemi adds to the long list of priests, religious, and faithful who have fallen victim to the violence that has affected various regions of Nigeria for years.
Kidnappings, murders, and attacks on Christian communities have become a recurring reality in different parts of the country, especially in the center and north, where insecurity remains one of the main challenges for the Church and the civilian population.