THE Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri has confirmed the shooting incident involving a priest in Imo State which led to the death of a young man who allegedly threw ‘knockout’ into the church premises during a crossover mass to mark the New Year.
The incident happened at St. Columba’s Catholic Church Amaimo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.
An official letter personally signed by the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, on Thursday, January 2, confirmed the incident and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri highly regrets the shooting incident that took place on the eve of the New Year at the premises of St. Columba’s Catholic Church Amaimo, leading to the death of a young man and leading to the wounding of another.
“The Archdiocese of Owerri condoles with the bereaved family and prays for the happy repose of the dead, and the speedy recovery of the injured,” part of the statement reads.
The Archdiocese also called for calm within the church premises and confirmed the police were investigating the shooting.
The public relations officer of the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, while confirming the incident, said: “Yes, a detailed investigation has been initiated to ascertain the remote facts surrounding the incident. Further development on the case will be communicated in due course.”
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.