Catholic Priest, Female Passenger Drown after Floods Sweep Vehicle Away

• Father James Omeh and Charity John drowned after their vehicle was swept into a flooded gully
• The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, May 25, 2025, while returning from a religious function
• The rescue efforts failed, and their bodies were recovered and handed over to the church for burial

The Catholic community has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of Father James Omeh.

According to Vanguard News, the man of God tragically drowned after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters.

The tragic incident happened in Niger State, Nigeria.

Catholic priest dies in flood tragedy after church event

Alongside him was a female passenger, Charity John, who also lost her life in the accident.

Father Omeh, the Parish Priest of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Gulu and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Coordinator for Lapai Local Government Area (LGA), was returning from a religious gathering in Duma village to Gulu on Saturday, May 25, 2025.

Around noon, their Toyota Hilux van plunged into a flooded gully caused by a torrential downpour that severely affected the highway.

Eyewitnesses reported that the heavy rainstorm caused significant erosion, making the road treacherous.

Father Omeh, who was driving, lost control of the vehicle, which was swept into a deep, waterlogged gully where both he and Charity John drowned.

Local volunteers made desperate attempts to rescue the occupants, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

When the vehicle was eventually retrieved, the bodies of Father Omeh and Charity John were found inside, lifeless.

Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the tragic incident:

“On May 25, 2025, around 1 p.m., information was received that Reverend Father James Omeh and one Charity John were swept away by floodwaters while travelling in a white Toyota Hilux. The vehicle was submerged in a flooded stream due to a heavy downpour.

Police operatives from Lapai Division, assisted by community members, recovered the bodies and handed them over to the Church for burial. The vehicle was also towed from the stream.

Netizens react to priest, passenger's death

okonofuaitohan55:

"Eternal rest grant unto them, oh Lord and let perpetual light shine on them. May the souls of the departed rest in peace, amen."

purebliss_fragrance:

"Oh no😢 may God console their family."

lou_flame:

"May their souls rest in perfect peace."

lucy_ng2:

"May his rest in peace, so many avoidable deaths in this country if the government is working."

officialyeencarh:

"But this could have been avoided na 😢… I’m assuming there were moments leading up to getting stuck with the Hilux .. Did he trust more in the Supposed Rugged Hilux than his instinct to abandon vehicle and run?? I still don’t get this story."

Deaths of Kenyan priests that shocked Catholic faithful

Kenyans are still grappling with the loss of beloved Catholic religious leader Father John Maina.

The priest, who used to preach at Igwamiti Parish in Nyahururu, died while receiving treatment at St Joseph Hospital in Gilgil for treatment.

According to a Good Samaritan who took Fr Maina to hospital, he found him injured along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The witness, a boda boda rider, said he first mistook Fr Maina for a customer, and when he stopped, he asked for his help. He rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The 42-year-old father, who died just a few weeks after Rigathi Gachagua visited his church, was buried in an emotional ceremony in Nyandarua county.

Another death that sent shivers down the spines of many was that of Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett.

The Catholic priest was killed on the day Fr John Maina was being buried. He was shot dead by armed men while on his way to conduct a church service in Kerio Valley, Elgeyo Marakwet.

Fr Allois will be laid to rest at Holy Family Parish in Ol'Lessos, Nandi county on June 3. Both leaders and Kenyans have condemned the targeted attacks on men of God, and asked the police to speed up investigations into the murder of the two and bring their killers to book.

Man, wife and neighbour swept away by floods

As we previously reported, in Machakos county, a businessman, his wife, and two other passengers drowned while driving home after their vehicle was swept away by the River Manyanzaani.

The police reported that the businessman attempted to cross a bridge when the rising waters swept the vehicle away.

Rescuers found the vehicle 20 meters past the bridge, containing three bodies, but one passenger was missing.

Caren Nyota, HoD Entertainment, added details of the deaths of Kenyan priests that shocked Catholic faithful.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke