An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been killed and three students abducted following an armed attack on the Catholic Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivianokpodi, Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The attack occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, and was confirmed by the Director of Social Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa.

According to Egielewa, the incident also left a local vigilante member with gunshot injuries. He described the assault as the second on the seminary within ten months, recalling that a Catholic priest was kidnapped during a similar incident last year.

“We are deeply saddened and condemn in the strongest terms this act of violence,” he said. “This is the second time in 10 months that the school has been attacked. Ten months ago, a priest was kidnapped. And now three seminarians have been abducted, an NSCDC officer is dead, and a local vigilante has sustained injuries.”

Egielewa expressed concern over the repeated targeting of Catholic institutions in the diocese and called on all levels of government to ensure the safety of lives and property in the region.

“We call on the government to protect the lives of all those who work in Catholic institutions and our diocese,” he said. “We expect security agencies at the local, state, and federal level to take up this responsibility so that our people can live in peace and safety.”

As of the time of this report, security agencies have not issued a formal statement on the attack. Efforts to locate and rescue the abducted students are believed to be ongoing.