Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have reportedly shot a Catholic priest of St. Kelvin’s Parish, Ogbaku, in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, on Christmas Day.
The cleric, who serves as the assistant parish priest of the church, was reportedly attacked while attempting to enter the parish premises early on Thursday morning.
An inside source told The Sun that the incident occurred at about 8 a.m., when the priest was about to open the church gate. 
According to the source, the attackers, who were not seen by anyone around, fired from a distance, hitting the priest in the process.
“It happened this morning. He was trying to enter the gate but before he could, a bullet from nowhere hit him,” the source said.
One of the bullets reportedly struck the cleric on his right arm, leaving him injured. The source added that the priest was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention, where he is said to be responding to treatment.
“Nobody saw the people that shot him; it was like a stray bullet. Thank God he did not die. He has been taken to the hospital,” the source added.
The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, His Grace, Lucius Ugorji, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH, but noted that the identity of the attackers remains unclear.
He said investigations were ongoing, while security agencies had been alerted to the development.
