St. Martin Catholic Church, Lugbe, F.C.T., is a parish situated along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Road, with a parishioner base of over 4,500. The parish is led by the Very Rev. Fr. John Azubuike as the Parish Priest and Rev. Fr James Ocheme as the Associate Priest. 

St. Martin Catholic Church was created by His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, O.O.N., on the 22nd of March, 2006. Before its creation by the Archbishop, St. Martin was an outstation of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Airport. Like most outstations, it faced the challenge of not having a resident priest to cater to the needs of the growing congregation. The government’s housing reform led to an influx of people from the metropolis, which increased the population in Lugbe.

When the need and persistent request for the outstation to become a parish was brought to the attention of the Archbishop, he quickly carved out the Federal Housing Area, Tudun Wada, Sauka Kahuta, Kapwa, and surrounding environs. He then created the parish known as St. Martin Catholic Church, placing it under the pastoral care of Rev. Fr. Thomas Ali Edogbanya, the then Parish Priest of St. Kelvin, Jikwoyi, F.C.T., Abuja.

St. Martin Catholic Church, Lugbe, was named in honour of Rev. Fr. Martin Mbeledeogu (of blessed memory), who, through his commitment and doggedness, brought the Catholic faith to the Airport area, extending to Giri, Gwagwalada, and the surrounding communities.

Very Rev. Fr. Thomas Ali Edogbanya, fondly called Fr. Tom, came to the parish on March 22, 2006. Within nine years, he transformed what was considered “an abandoned area” into a vibrant parish admired by a litany of bishops and priests. It is worth noting that the current Parish House and the main church building were constructed almost miraculously.

Fr. Tom attributed this transformation to the holistic support and resilience of the parishioners. This inspired his slogan, which has become a guiding principle in the church’s development: “development by aggression.”

Like many growing parishes, St. Martin started in a prefabricated structure and faced the usual weather-related challenges. As a result, Fr. Tom and his assistant, Rev. Fr. Roland Nwakpuda, temporarily rented an apartment. After just three months, the present Parish House was completed. On the 10th of April, 2010, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, performed the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the church.

In November 2013, the church transitioned from the temporary structure to its current edifice. The rapid growth of the parish led the Archbishop to designate it as the headquarters of the Lugbe Deanery.

Since its creation, the parish has had the following Vicars: Rev. Fr. Roland Nwakpuda, Rev. Fr. Paul Tsejime, Rev. Fr. Peter Astewe, Rev. Fr. Babatunde Matthew Maleek, Rev. Fr. Leo Kor, Rev. Fr. JohnPaul Ezeagbanari, and Rev. Fr. Nicholas Ekemann. It also had a resident priest, Rev. Fr. Mark Akubo, who left the parish in 2013.

The parish currently has a Pastoral Assistant, Rev. Sis. Mary Martha Mbah (H.V.M.), and Mr. Moses Cozan, who has served as the Parish Catechist since the parish’s creation.

The Parish has also given birth to the following parishes:

• St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Lugbe, F.C.T., Abuja

• St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Tudun Wada, Lugbe, F.C.T., Abuja