In Amaimo, a town in Nigeria’s Imo State, a heartbreaking incident unfolded on New Year’s Eve. Father Joseph Enyinaya, the parish priest of St. Columba Catholic Church, was arrested after a teenager was tragically killed during a church service.
The boy had been setting off fireworks inside the church, ignoring warnings from the priest. In an attempt to stop the disruption, Father Enyinaya fired two warning shots into the air. However, in the chaos, he lost control of the weapon, and one of the shots struck the boy, killing him. Another person was also injured in the incident.
The local police have taken Father Enyinaya into custody, and the boy’s body has been sent to a mortuary in Atta Ikeduru. The police are actively investigating what happened.
The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Lucius Ugorji, expressed deep regret over the incident. In a statement, he extended condolences to the grieving family, prayed for the boy’s soul, and wished a speedy recovery for the injured person.
This tragic event has sparked strong reactions online. Some questioned why a priest had access to a firearm, while others criticized the boy for defying the priest’s instructions. Social media comments ranged from calls for justice to debates about responsibility. One user, Okpe Onoja, said it was baffling that a priest would carry a gun, while another, Temitope Nicholas Ogundeji, argued that the boy could have avoided this tragedy by simply following instructions.
Sadly, this incident comes amidst rising violence in Nigeria, which has left many Christians mourning during what should have been a festive season. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day alone, at least 50 Christians were killed in separate attacks across Plateau and Benue states. In Benue, the state governor, Father Hyacinth Alia, condemned the attacks as “heinous” and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. He assured residents that those responsible would face consequences.
The issue of security in Nigeria is a growing concern. A recent report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, an NGO, highlighted alarming statistics. Over the past nine years, more than 32,000 civilians have been killed in southeastern Nigeria. Many of these deaths were linked to military operations targeting separatist groups like the Indigenous People of Biafra and their armed wing, the Eastern Security Network. The report detailed shocking human rights abuses, including unlawful detentions and torture.
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto recently voiced his frustration over the government’s inability to address these escalating attacks. He described the situation as turning Nigeria into “one wide funeral home” and called for concrete action to bring an end to the violence.
The New Year’s Eve tragedy in Amaimo, alongside the ongoing violence across the country, underscores the urgent need for solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges. For now, communities are left grappling with grief and unanswered questions.