A member of the Knights of St. John International, Sir Iyke Nwatakwocha, has allegedly attacked a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Valentine Chimaobi Nwajiagu, shortly after Mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church, New GRA, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, August 16, 2026, shortly after the 6 a.m. Mass, during which Fr. Nwajiagu participated in a priestly exchange programme at the parish.
Fr. Nwajiagu, who serves as Assistant Parish Priest of Assumption Catholic Church, Nkwo Nike, Enugu, was allegedly confronted by Nwatakwocha after the Mass.
Sources said the knight, who was allegedly visibly angry, confronted the priest and damaged his vehicle during the altercation.
He was also alleged to have threatened some worshippers who attempted to intervene in the confrontation.
The reason for the alleged attack was not immediately established as of the time of filing this report.
However, some worshippers claimed that Nwatakwocha had allegedly confronted Fr. Nwajiagu earlier in the year at his parish, raising concerns that Sunday’s incident could be a recurrence of an earlier disagreement.
The development has reportedly caused concern among some members of the parish, with worshippers calling on the Catholic Diocese of Enugu to investigate the incident and take appropriate measures to prevent further confrontation involving the priest.
The allegations could not be independently verified as of press time.
Efforts to obtain reactions from Fr. Nwajiagu, Nwatakwocha, the Knights of St. John International and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu were ongoing as of the time of filing this report.
[VANGUARD]
