Armed gunmen woven into the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary, in the Diocese of Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria, at about 19h on Sunday evening and fired shots into the air, causing panic among students and staff, according to a diocesan statement sent to Aid to the Church in Need.
The bandits made their way to the courtyard of the minority seminary and abducted two students, who are intended to take as hostages.
However, in the confusion, Fr Thomas Oyode, the rector of the minor seminary, went out and bravely confronted the bandits. Realizing that help would not arrive in time to save the two students from being abducted, the priestly proceeded to offer to take a ped with the boys.
The bandits accepted and made their way back to the bush with the priest in tow. The diocese was initially published in a statement explaining the facts and stating that all other students and staff at the seminary were well, and had been removed to a safer location, but adding that the criminals had not yet made contact with the Church authorities.
The Nigerian press is indicating that a ransom has been already requested for the release of Fr Thomas.
Nigeria has become one of the most dangerous countries for priestess in the world, over past years, as a combination of religious persecution and banditry has turned them into targets for kidnappings in what has become a criminal industry.
Auchi diocese is located in the south of Nigeria, which is mostly Christian, meaning that it is most likely that the kidnappers were acting for small financial gain, rather than motivated by anti-Christian bias, but there is little information in this regard.
In 2023, a total of 25 priests, seminarians and religious were kidnapped in Nigeria, one of whom was later killed.
A further three priests were killed in the country in the same year.