Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro killed in machete ambush in Kogi, Nigeria

Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro, a Catholic priest of the St. Paul parish in Ayetoro Gbede, Kogi State, was found dead with severe machete wounds to the head after a roadside ambush on Church Road in Ajaokuta on 29 July 2026. The Diocese of Lokoja announced his death on 30 July, urging the faithful to pray for him and his family. Kogi State police arrived after a report of an unidentified body, confirmed the cause of death, and transferred the body for autopsy. Governor Ahmed Ododo condemned the killing as a “barbaric act,” directing security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. The murder follows a series of recent attacks on clergy and churches in Nigeria, including a gunmen raid on a church in Enugu State four days later.