Two teenage seminarians from the Catholic Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary School at Ivianokpodi, Agenebode in Edo State have made a desperate plea for financial help in a viral video to pay the ransom demanded by their kidnappers. The chilling video shows the abducted seminarians surrounded by masked gunmen holding human skulls as a grim warning that their lives are at risk if the ransom is not paid.
The seminarians urgently appeal to their parents and the public for funds to secure their freedom, expressing fear for their lives and pleading that they do not want to die due to inability to pay the ransom. The kidnappers have reportedly threatened to kill them if the ransom is not delivered.
This kidnapping follows a series of violent incidents at the seminary, including an earlier abduction of three victims in another location of Edo State that was resolved last week with a payment of N75 million ransom. Among the abducted at Ivianokpodi, one was released, but the two seminarians remain in captivity.
The attack on July 10, 2025, also claimed the life of Christopher Aweneghieme, a Civil Defense Corps officer assigned to the seminary who was killed during the assault.
The spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Rev. Fr Peter Egielewa, confirmed the authenticity of the video and the ongoing negotiations with the kidnappers. He lamented that the ransom demand far exceeds their financial capacity and is a source of frustration.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mr Monday Agbonika, announced the deployment of tactical teams to track down the kidnappers and secure the release of the seminarians. He reassured the public that security forces remain committed to apprehending those responsible and restoring safety.
The Catholic Diocese of Auchi continues to appeal for prayers and support as the community rallies for the safe return of the seminarians, underscoring the urgent need for security interventions to protect vulnerable institutions amid rising insecurity in Nigeria.
This heartbreaking incident highlights the ongoing crisis of kidnappings in Nigeria, where religious and educational institutions are increasingly targeted, leaving families and communities in distress and demanding urgent action from authorities to end this wave of violence and ransom-driven abduction.