By Emmanuel Onyedika
The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Police has confirmed the gruesome killing of Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro, a Catholic priest whose lifeless body was discovered by the roadside in Ajaokuta on Wednesday.
Confirming the incident to journalists in Lokoja, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Afuzat Oyiza, said the police received a distress report at about 9:30 a.m. on July 29 that the body of an unidentified male had been found. Officers deployed to the scene discovered that the deceased had sustained severe machete cuts to the head, indicating a brutal attack.
The body was evacuated to ASCL Hospital where a medical doctor confirmed him dead before it was deposited at the mortuary for autopsy. The victim was later identified as Rev. Fr. Oyetoro of St. Paul Parish, Ayetoro-Gbede, in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Oyiza disclosed that the Command had commenced a full-scale investigation into the murder and assured that efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest those responsible. She added that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation after preliminary findings, with updates to be provided as the probe progresses.
Meanwhile, the killing has sparked widespread grief among Catholic faithful and residents of Kogi State, who have called for a thorough investigation and swift justice for the slain priest. Sources revealed that Rev. Fr. Oyetoro, a native of Ayetoro in Ijumu Local Government Area and born in Egbe, Yagba West, was serving as a priest until his death. Reports indicate that he was attacked by yet-to-be-identified assailants, sustaining multiple fatal injuries before his body was abandoned on Church Road, Ajaokuta.
The tragic incident has heightened concerns over insecurity in the state, with community members urging authorities to intensify efforts to protect lives and ensure justice for the late priest.