Gunmen storm Edo Catholic seminary, kill NSCDC officer and abduct three seminarians in night attack.
Church confirms second incident in 10 months, urges urgent action to protect religious institutions.
Suspected kidnappers have attacked a Catholic seminary in Edo State, killing a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and abducting three seminarians.
The incident occurred at the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivianokpodi, located in Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area. A local vigilante was also injured during the assault, sustaining gunshot wounds.
According to information gathered by NewsKobo.com, the NSCDC officer was assigned to provide security at the Catholic institution. The three abducted individuals were seminarians undergoing training at the school.
Reverend Father Peter Egielewa, who serves as the Director of Social Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, confirmed the attack while speaking to journalists on Friday. He stated that the gunmen stormed the school at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Thursday night.
Egielewa expressed strong condemnation of the violent incident, describing it as the second attack on the school in less than a year. He recalled that a similar event took place just ten months ago, when a priest was kidnapped from the same premises.
“This is the second time in 10 months that this Catholic school has come under attack. On this occasion, three of our seminarians were taken away, a civil defense officer was killed, and one of our local vigilantes was injured,” he said.
He urged the authorities at all levels to take more responsibility in ensuring the safety of church workers and institutions. “We appeal to the government to protect the lives of those who serve in Catholic institutions and across our Diocese. We expect security agencies at local, state, and federal levels to respond effectively so that our people can live and work in peace,” he added.
Community sources also revealed that the area has witnessed multiple cases of abduction in recent months. In June, two brothers were kidnapped and forced to pay N35 million in ransom. Despite the payment, the captors reportedly demanded an additional N6 million before releasing them.
It will be recalled that on March 3, 2025, another priest, Rev. Fr. Philip Ekeli, and a seminarian, Peter Andrew, were abducted in the same region. Tragically, Andrew was later killed by the kidnappers. Fr. Ekeli was released on March 13 after an undisclosed ransom was allegedly paid. Both men were affiliated with St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukha, also within Etsako East LGA.
