Reverend Father James Omeh, the Parish Priest of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Gulu, and Coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, has died in a flood incident.
The incident occurred on Saturday, 24 May 2025, along the Lapai-Gulu Road, following heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding in the area. A female passenger who was travelling with him also died.
It was gathered that the priest was travelling to Gulu around noon when he encountered the collapsed Lapai-Gulu bridge after passing Duma village. He attempted to turn back but was caught in rising floodwaters.
“Rev. Fr. Omeh and the female passenger were found lifeless at the scene,” a source said. “One person is still missing.”
He was driving a white Hilux vehicle when the flood swept it into a deep, waterlogged gully.
Local volunteers and the Sarkin Ruwa helped to recover the vehicle and retrieve the bodies of the priest and the female passenger.
Until his death, Rev. Fr. Omeh was well respected for promoting peace and unity in Lapai.
He recently led the newly elected CAN Lapai executives on a courtesy visit to key stakeholders, including the Emir of Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida III, the Divisional Police Officer, and the local government chairman.
According to sources, the visit was to “reaffirm CAN’s dedication to promoting unity and peaceful coexistence in the area.”
Residents have renewed calls for urgent government intervention on the Lapai-Gulu Road, which they say has become a death trap due to its deteriorating condition.
Confirming the incident to SaharaReporters on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said that around 1 p.m. on May 25, 2025, the police received information that Rev. Fr. James and one Charity John had been swept away by floodwaters while en route to Gulu village in a white Toyota Hilux.
According to him, the victims were carried into a flooded stream following a heavy downpour and drowned.
He said that police operatives from the Lapai Division, with assistance from community members, recovered their bodies at the scene. The remains were handed over to the church for burial, and the vehicle was subsequently towed out of the stream.
