Suspected armed men shot dead a Catholic priest, Michael Akawu, in Gwagwalada, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Abuja.

Akawu was shopping at a supermarket around 8 pm on Saturday when the bandits attacked the facility and fatally shot him.

It could not be ascertained if the incident was a robbery or an assassination as details of the violence were sketchy on Sunday.

The slain cleric who was ordained last year was said to be the first indigenous priest in the Gwagwalada area.

The Catholic Church spokesman, Fr. Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the incident but added that he did not have many details about the circumstances surrounding Fr. Akawu’s demise.

“I heard about the incident, but I don’t have much details about it because I’m not in Abuja. It’s very unfortunate, but I will get the details once I return,” he told news personnel on the phone on Sunday.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, could not be reached for comment as he did not respond to phone calls.

He is yet to reply an SMS on the incident as when filling this report.