Benue Bishop Shuts Schs, Hospital, Parish In Alia’s Community Says “Church Cannot … Expose Priests, Students To Danger”

The Catholic Bishop of Gboko, Most Rev. William Avenya, has ordered the indefinite closure of four Catholic institutions in Ihugh, Benue State, and withdrawn pastoral agents following repeated attacks, arson and insecurity. adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The decision, contained in a letter and decree dated October 12, takes immediate effect and affects St. Winifred Secondary School, St. Winifred Nursery and Primary School, St. Thomas Hospital, Salus Mind Care Center and St. Winifred Parish, Ihugh.

In the pastoral letter, Avenya described the withdrawal as painful but necessary to protect lives, stressing it was not motivated by anger or retaliation.

“The Church cannot, in conscience, continue to expose her Priests, Consecrated Persons, Teachers, Medical personnel, Students and Patients to danger,” he said.

The bishop cited repeated disturbances including the burning of student hostels at St. Winifred Secondary School on October 28, 2025, May 10 and 15, 2026, and October 11, 2026, recurrent burglaries at St. Winifred Parish and criminal incidents at St. Thomas Hospital. He recalled that during the reopening of the hospital on June 21, 2024, some persons displayed placards and chanted slogans demanding that Reverend Sisters leave Ihugh.

Avenya said the Diocese had engaged the host community, traditional rulers, elders and security authorities to find lasting peace, but without security guarantees.

The decree directs the withdrawal of priests, consecrated persons, catechists, pastoral workers and lay mission partners, while teaching and non-teaching staff, medical personnel and administrators are to be redeployed through appropriate diocesan offices.

It also orders safeguarding of diocesan property, transfer of parish registers and archives to the diocesan archives, and reverent removal of the Blessed Sacrament, sacred vessels and other sacred objects under supervision.

The bishop said arrangements would be made to minimise impact on students, patients and staff. Students are to be assisted to continue education in other Catholic schools in the Diocese, while patients at St. Thomas Hospital will be referred to other facilities, especially those needing urgent care. Affected staff, he said, would be treated with justice and charity.

Addressing Catholics in Ihugh, he declared:

“To our Catholic faithful in Ihugh: do not lose heart. Your Baptism is not lost with a building, nor is your faith diminished by the closing of a door.”

He appealed to community leaders, traditional rulers, youth leaders, government and security agencies to restore peace and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, adding that return is conditional on genuine repentance, restitution and credible assurances of safety.

“This decision is a painful one, but it is not a final farewell,” he said.

Avenya called for intensified prayers for peace and designated Friday, October 23 as a day of prayer and fasting for peace and reconciliation.