Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) strongly condemns the violent attack perpetrated on 10 July 2025, against the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivhianokpodi, Diocese of Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria. The assault led to the death of a security guard and the kidnapping of three seminarians.
According to the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, the attack occurred at around 9:00 p.m., when several armed men stormed the seminary compound and opened fire. Christopher Aweneghieme, a member of the Civil Defense Corps assigned to the seminary, was killed during the assault. “They came in large numbers, and it was impossible for the guards to stop them,” explained Bishop Gabriel Dunia of Auchi in a call with ACN.
“Three students of the minor seminary were kidnapped, and we are in contact with the assailants through mediators,” the bishop confirmed.
The bishop confirmed that the kidnapped seminarians are between 14 and 17 years old, and the entire seminary community – students and teachers – has been evacuated to nearby parishes until security measures are reinforced and a protective fence is erected around the seminary grounds.
Although there has already been contact with the kidnappers, “the students and their families live in extreme poverty, and the Diocese of Auchi itself depends on external aid, including that from ACN, to cover the basic expenses of priestly formation,” lamented Bishop Dunia. Paying a high ransom is not feasible, and church authorities in Nigeria follow an official policy of not paying ransoms, partly to avoid encouraging further kidnappings.
In his statement to ACN, he made an emotional appeal for solidarity, both within Nigeria and internationally:
“I call on everyone, every person, to come to our aid: to pray for us, to make any effort, whatever it may be—material, spiritual, or human—that helps us contain insecurity. Our local efforts are being overwhelmed,” he said.
He also expressed frustration at the lack of concrete protection by local authorities.
“We are asking the civilian government to come to the site. They assured us that they would stay to protect the area. But we haven’t seen any concrete action so far.”
It is not the first attack on the minor seminary
Although the attackers’ exact motives are still unclear, Bishop Dunia told ACN that the situation in his diocese, located southwest of Abuja, has been worrying for some time. This is not the first attack on the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary. In March 2025, the seminary rector was kidnapped and one of the seminarians killed.
These repeated attacks highlight the systematic threats increasingly faced by Christian institutions in Nigeria. According to the prelate, the attackers come from the north and are believed to be members of the Fulani ethnic group.
“We don’t even know for sure what they want. But we see a growing pattern of attacks directed against Christian communities and institutions,” said the bishop, who expressed concern that this may be an attempt to occupy land or expel the Christian community from the area.
ACN joins the Diocese of Auchi in praying for the soul of Christopher Aweneghieme and for the prompt release of the kidnapped seminarians. Founded in 2006, the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary has formed more than 500 young men in their first step toward the priesthood and remains a beacon of hope for the Catholic community in southern Nigeria.
For many years, ACN has continuously supported the formation of priests at the Major Seminary and has provided Mass stipends for priests in the Diocese of Auchi, helping sustain the local Church through these challenging times.
By Maria Lozano.
