The Catholic Bishop of Enugu in Nigeria, Callistus Onaga, has called for week-long prayers over church vandalism by supporters of a controversial priest.

On Wednesday supporters of Father Ejike Mbaka marched in protest to the residence of the bishop, the priest's superior, after the priest reportedly went missing.

They demanded to see the priest, who had been absent during the weekly Mass at his Adoration Ministry's grounds in Emene area of the city.

The protesters are said to have vandalised the diocesan cathedral and desecrated the altar.

“Over and above this, they brutally vandalised the diocesan bishop’s residence, the cathedral parish house and the secretariat building complex," local media quote the bishop as saying.

The bishop has since called for "atonement and reparation” for the desecration of “the holy altar of sacrifice” by the protesters.