Police have launched a manhunt after Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro was found dead with machete wounds by the roadside in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.
LOKOJA, Nigeria — The Kogi State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the killers of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro, whose lifeless body was discovered by the roadside in Ajaokuta with severe machete wounds.
Police confirmed that the priest’s body was found along Church Road, Ajaokuta, on Wednesday, July 29, after officers received a distress report at about 9:30 a.m. Operatives who responded to the scene observed multiple machete cuts to his head before evacuating the body to ASCL Hospital, where he was certified dead by a medical doctor. It was subsequently deposited in the mortuary for an autopsy.
The deceased was later identified as Rev. Fr. Oyetoro, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Lokoja, who had been serving at St. Paul’s Parish, Ayetoro Gbede, in Ijumu Local Government Area. Reports indicate he was on relief pastoral duty in Ajaokuta before the tragic incident.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Oyiza Afusat, said investigations had commenced and assured that the perpetrators would be tracked down. She added that upon completion of preliminary inquiries, the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
The Kogi State Government condemned the killing, describing it as a heinous act. Governor Usman Ododo directed security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation, identify those responsible and ensure they are brought to justice. The government also urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with investigators and refrain from circulating unverified information that could hinder the investigation.
The death of Rev. Fr. Oyetoro has thrown the Catholic community and many residents of Kogi State into mourning, while renewing concerns over the security of religious leaders and other citizens across Nigeria. As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not established a motive for the killing, and no arrests had been announced.
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