Kidnappings, Killings: Why Catholic Clergies Are Targeted

In recent years, a chilling wave of kidnappings and killings has swept through Nigeria, targeting Christian clergy, particularly Catholics.

These attacks have sent shockwaves through the Catholic community and the nation at large, sparking urgent questions about the motives behind these atrocities.

The Catholic Diocese of Auchi in Edo state, for example, has lived in a state of escalating fear and frustration amid persistent abductions and murders of their religious members.

On March 5 2025, the diocese in a statement by its Director of Communication, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa, expressed worry over the surge in kidnappings and killings, lamenting that the senatorial district has become a business centre for kidnappers.

The statement followed the kidnapping of a Catholic priest identified as Rev. Father Philip Ekeli and a seminarian, Peter Andrew, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Ivukwa, Etsako East Local Government Area of the state.

The abductors later killed Andrew and freed father Ekeli after 10 days in captivity and torture.

On the same March 5, (Ash Wednesday) Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Tachira, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State was murdered a day after he was taken from his residence by kidnappers.

Also, on July 10, gunmen invaded the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivhianokpodi, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, killing a Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) officer and abducted three seminarians.

Data by THE WHISTLER on March 24 showed that six Catholic religious faithful were kidnapped within January and March 2025. This incident and many others reported by THE WHISTLER, has many asking: why are Catholics clergy the target of these kidnappers?

When contacted by THE WHISTLER, the former legal adviser of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Barr. Samuel Kwamkur, stated that though it may seem challenging to pinpoint a single reason that is attracting this act to the Catholic community, there are several factors that may contribute to why they seem to be a target for kidnappers.

Kwamkur pointed out that Catholics have a very high population and that could be one of the reasons they are always targeted, highlighting places like Benue, Kaduna, Edo to have high numbers of Catholics, hence the continuous attack.

He also noted the fact that Catholic leadership is prominent in most places which makes them visible and vulnerable to the kidnappers as they always go for people of more pronounced names.

“The fact that the leadership of Catholicism is prominent in most places, sometimes when you touch somebody that has a name, it will be more pronounced. But in a little sense, a lot of people have been kidnapped, like you said, particularly the Christian areas,” he said.

Speaking further, he spotlighted that Catholics have been prominent in making their position known to the country.

He noted that recently, Catholic bishops have been more vocal than ever, calling for sincerity of purpose and urging the nation to address insecurity issues.

He added that their frankness and truth-telling to authority could be reasons why they seem to be targets.

Asked what the CAN has done to protect their members from such attacks, Kwamkur explained that he has raised alarms multiple times, fought many battles, and repeatedly called on the government to intervene.

He noted however, that the incidents continue to evolve from one form to another.

“Well, I have fought this battle. I have fought a battle for this country. I’ve raised alarms. I’ve done everything. I used to be not only the legal advisor, but also the spokesman of the spokesperson of the organisation.

“It is a mystery to say that the kidnap is looking selective, but from my experience, all this thing is a transition, from the terrorism, the Boko Haram, to the banditry, and then to kidnappers. I have gotten direct threats, threats that we would draw the attention of the authorities to what was happening up to now.

“We’ve also visited the president, each time we visit the leadership of the country, we say to them, why are you killing us? Why are you killing our people? Why are you attacking us? Why can’t you stop the insecurity?

“But in all these, we are forced to believe that everybody is being attacked. We are forced to believe that it’s not strange, we are forced to believe that the authority is doing its best. We have been talking. We’ve never stopped talking. And that’s the best we can do,” Kwamkur explained.

The former legal adviser noted that he has not relented on the fight, stressing that it’s more like a calculated business by some set of people who want to have a huge amount of money they did not earn.

“We’ve shouted to the top of the roof to say, faced with threats on several occasions, but I’ve come to a conclusion that it’s a business. So, when we shout that this thing should be stopped, you are stopping some people, even the authorities, from getting food at their table.

“When some people want to embezzle, they want to have large amounts of money that they do not earn. They promote those things with one hand and collect the money with the other hand. So, it’s unfortunate that we fight ourselves this much. And even with a change of government, since it’s a syndicate, since it’s a business, when you come in like that, they’ll simply introduce you to it,” he asserted.

He further stated that if this isn’t the case, why should a particular community experience repeated attacks for nine years with the government having no solution to it.

THE WHISTLER reached out to CSP Joel Yamu, spokesperson for the Edo State police command, about this matter. He said, “I will get back to you.”
However, despite several follow-up calls and messages asking for a response, Yamu hasn’t responded.

In a recent viral video, two of the minor seminarians who were kidnapped at the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary school were seen clutching what appears to be a human skull, crying, and pleading for funds to be raised for their release while surrounded by gun-wielding men.

This development prompted a statement from the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Edo state, led by bishop Gabriel Dunia, on August 14, appealing to president Tinubu, governor Monday Okpebholo, and security agencies to expedite action and rescue the two abducted minors.

Dunia also noted that there have been several kidnap cases in Edo North in particular and Edo State, since the minor seminary attack, adding that it appears that kidnappers in Nigeria have suddenly found a convenient place of operation in Edo State.

Kidnappings, Killings: Why Catholic Clergies Are Targeted is first published on The Whistler Newspaper