Auchi: The Diocese of Auchi has confirmed that armed attackers who stormed the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivhianokpodi have contacted Church authorities to demand ransom for the safe release of three seminarians abducted during the brutal raid.
The seminarians, aged between 14 and 17, were taken during a violent attack on July 10, which also claimed the life of a security guard, Christopher Aweneghieme, a member of Nigeria’s Civil Defense Corps. According to Bishop Gabriel Dunia of Auchi, the diocese is in active communication with the kidnappers and negotiations are currently ongoing.
“The young seminarians remain in captivity,” Bishop Dunia told Fides, the Vatican's news agency. He further noted that the assailants are believed to be Fulani militants from northern Nigeria. “They came in overwhelming numbers, leaving us powerless to resist. What they want is unclear, but there’s an undeniable pattern of violence targeting Christian institutions.”
In a detailed statement to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Dunia disclosed that all other seminarians have been relocated to safer locations and are continuing their end-of-year examinations remotely. He added that the return of the students to campus will only happen once security infrastructure is fortified, including the erection of a protective perimeter wall.
The bishop also made an urgent appeal to Nigeria’s civil authorities. “We are calling on the government to visit the site and take this situation seriously. Despite promises, we’ve yet to witness any real action on the ground,” he lamented.
Appealing to the global Christian community, Bishop Dunia urged, “We need your prayers and tangible support—whether moral, spiritual, or material to help us combat the escalating insecurity. Our own efforts are being stretched to the breaking point.”
The seminary, which provides early priestly formation to over 500 students, had previously suffered a similar assault in October 2024. During that incident, the rector, Father Thomas Oyode, was abducted after offering himself in place of the students. He was later released after 11 days in captivity.
This latest kidnapping underscores the growing threats facing Christian communities in Nigeria, especially in regions plagued by ethnic tensions and militant violence.