A bishop in Nigeria has accused the country's government of failing to take “concrete action” after gunmen targeted his seminary for the second time in less than ten months, this time killing a security guard and kidnapping three teenage students.
The attack happened last week at the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Edo State in central southern Nigeria.
Bishop Gabriel Dunia of Auchi told the charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that large numbers of armed men had come to the site and security guards had been unable to stop them.
Christopher Aweneghieme from the Civil Defence Corps who was assigned to the seminary, was killed during the attack.
The bishop confirmed that the three seminarians who were kidnapped are aged between 14 and 17 and he called on the government to protect the area:
"We are asking the civilian government to come to the site.
“They assured that they would stay to protect the area. But we haven’t seen any concrete action so far.
“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.”
Bishop Gabriel said the church was in contact with the assailants through mediators, although church authorities follow a policy of not paying ransoms, to discourage further kidnappings.
The entire seminary community has been evacuated to nearby parishes until security measures are reinforced and a protective fence is erected around the grounds.
The last time the seminary came under attack was in October 2024 when armed gunmen stormed the chapel and kidnapped the rector, Fr Thomas Oyode. He was freed the following month after eleven days in captivity.
Elsewhere in the diocese, seminarian Andrew Peter, 21, was murdered after he and Fr Philip Ekweli were kidnapped in March 2025 from St Peter’s Church in Edo state. The priest was released after ten days in captivity.
According to Bishop Gabriel, the attackers come from the north and are believed to be members of the Fulani ethnic group.
He added: “We don’t even know for sure what they want. But we see a growing pattern of attacks directed against Christian communities and institutions.”
The bishop expressed concerns that such attacks may be aimed at occupying land or expelling the Christian community from the area.