The Catholic Diocese of Auchi has expressed concern over the rising insecurity in the northern region of Edo State following the abduction and murder of one of its seminarians.

Rev. Fr. Philip Ekweli, who was kidnapped along with 21-year-old seminarian Andrew Peter on March 3, 2025, was released on Thursday, March 13, after spending ten days in captivity. However, the seminarian was murdered by the kidnappers during the ordeal.

Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Dunia, in a statement by the Diocese’s spokesperson, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa, expresses gratitude to all for the prayers and moral support received while Fr. Ekweli and the seminarian were held in captivity.

Bishop Dunia , however, called on the government at all levels and security agencies to stop the deteriorating security situation in Edo North in particular and other parts of Edo State, which has now become a safe haven for kidnappers, operating at will while the people feel helpless and abandoned.

“Life has been hell for our people in recent times. People are not safe on the roads, in their farms and even in their homes. This is unacceptable when there are elected officials whose duty it is to protect the people.” the statement read.

He urges the government to take proactive steps to deploy the necessary resources to Edo North to secure the lives and property of the people.

Bishop Dunia also expressed gratitude to the state government for their sincere efforts in seeing the victims rescued, but expressed dissatisfaction with the response of the police in particular in the rescue efforts.

He, however, called on them to put in place better measures to rescue kidnapped victims rather than leave the entire rescue efforts solely in the hands of family, friends and acquaintances of kidnapped victims.

In the past decade, the Diocese of Auchi has witnessed six priests being kidnapped, tortured, and later released; three priests were attacked but managed to escape; and one, Fr. Christopher Odia, was brutally murdered.

Now, with the recent death of seminarian Andrew Peter, the Diocese has once again been forced to confront the devastating toll of rising insecurity in the region.