The Diocese of Auchi in Nigeria is grappling with a deepening crisis following the abduction of three seminarians, aged 14 to 17, from the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary.
Newsroom (16/07/2025, Gaudium Press)The Diocese of Auchi in southern Nigeria is grappling with a deepening crisis following the abduction of three seminarians, aged 14 to 17, from the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivhianokpodi on July 10. The kidnappers, believed to be members of the Fulani ethnic group from northern Nigeria, have contacted the diocese, demanding a ransom for the students’ safe release. During the attack, Christopher Aweneghieme, a security guard with the Civil Defense Corps, was killed.
Bishop Gabriel Dunia, speaking to the Vatican’s Fides news agency, confirmed that the seminarians remain in captivity. “Negotiations are currently ongoing,” he said, noting that the diocese is in direct contact with the kidnappers. In a statement to the Catholic aid agency Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Dunia described the assailants arriving in large numbers, overwhelming the seminary’s defenses. “It was impossible to stop them,” he said, pointing to a troubling pattern of attacks targeting Christian communities and institutions in Nigeria.
The diocese has taken immediate steps to protect the remaining students, relocating them to safer facilities to complete their end-of-year examinations. Bishop Dunia emphasized that the seminarians will not return until robust security measures, including a perimeter fence, are implemented at the school.
A Plea for Support Amid Rising Insecurity
The Immaculate Conception Seminary, which provides foundational priestly training to over 500 students, has faced repeated violence. Last October, gunmen stormed the seminary’s chapel, abducting the rector, Father Thomas Oyode, who was released after 11 days in captivity. The recurrence of such attacks has heightened fears for the safety of students and staff.
In his appeal to ACN, Bishop Dunia called on Nigerian authorities to intervene, urging them to visit the site and address the escalating insecurity. “We haven’t seen any concrete action so far,” he said, despite assurances from the government. He also issued a broader plea for assistance, stating, “We are asking everyone, every person, to come to our aid: to pray for us, to make any effort—material, spiritual, or human—that helps us contain insecurity. Our local efforts are being overwhelmed.”
The Diocese of Auchi’s struggle reflects a broader wave of violence targeting Christian institutions in Nigeria, with the Fulani militia frequently implicated in such attacks. As negotiations continue for the release of the three seminarians, the Catholic Church in Nigeria is calling for urgent action to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further tragedies.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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