Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Auchi (Agenzia Fides) – A few days after the armed attack on the “Immaculate Conception” diocesan minor seminary in Ivhianokpodi, in Edo State, Nigeria (see Fides, 12/7/2025), the attackers who kidnapped three young seminarians “contacted the Diocese of Auchi and demanded a ransom.”The Bishop of Auchi, Gabriel Ghieakhomo Dunia, confirmed this to Fides, clarifying: “The seminarians are still in the hands of their kidnappers,” who in the last few hours “have contacted the Diocese of Auchi and are demanding a ransom. Negotiations are currently ongoing.””State Government and local security agents are working to track the abductors and get the abducted seminarians released but no success has been achieved yet,” Bishop Dunia continued. Regarding the condition of the other young seminarians who were at the facility at the time of the armed attack, in which a security guard was killed, he said: “the rest of the seminarians have been relocated by us to a safer location where they are completing their various examinations now before proceeding on the end of the academic year, 2024/2025 holiday.”The Ivhianokpodi Seminary was attacked by armed men on October 27, 2024 (see Fides, 29/10/2024). The Rector of the seminary, Fr. Thomas Oyode, was kidnapped after offering himself as a hostage in exchange for the young seminarians. Oyode was released after eleven days. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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