Catholic Church Suspends Schools, Hospital in Benue Community Over Repeated Attacks

The Catholic Diocese of Gboko in Benue State has officially suspended activities at its institutions in Ihugh, the hometown of Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, which is located in Vandeikya Local  Government Area. This suspension follows the repeated attacks, arson, burglaries and alleged harassment of its personnel.

The suspension, effective October 12, 2026, will remain in force until further notice and affects St Winifred Secondary School, St Winifred Nursery and Primary School, St Thomas  Hospital, Salus Mind Care Center and its chaplaincy, as well as St Winifred Parish.

The Diocese has also ordered the withdrawal of priests, Reverend Sisters, teachers, medical personnel and other workers from the affected institutions.

The decision was announced in a pastoral letter and decree signed by the Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Most Rev. William Avenya, and the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Marcellinus Wende.

According to the Diocese, the decision followed a series of attacks on its institutions, including the repeated burning of students’ hostels at St Winifred Secondary School on October 28, 2025, May 10, May 15 and October 11, 2026.

In the letter, the Diocese said the incidents had destroyed property, threatened lives and undermined the safety of students, teachers and other workers.

Among these were the recent burning down of the students’ hostels of St Winifred Secondary School, Hugh, on October 28th, 2025; May 10th, 2026; May 15th, 2026; and October 11th, 2026, acts that have destroyed the shelter of young people entrusted to our care, wiped out the labour and sacrifices of many years, and placed the lives and safety of students, teachers, and staff in grave danger,” the letter stated.

The Diocese also cited persistent burglaries at St Winifred Parish and alleged criminal incidents at St Thomas Hospital as reasons for the suspension.

It recalled that during the reopening of St Thomas Hospital on June 21, 2024, some residents allegedly displayed placards and chanted slogans demanding the withdrawal of the Reverend Sisters working in the community.

“The persistent burning down of St Winifred Secondary School students’ hostels was not an isolated event. The consistent burglary issues in St Winifred Parish, Ihugh, the repeated criminal incidents at St Thomas Hospital, Ihugh, and the hooliganism witnessed during the time of the reopening of St Thomas’ Hospital, Ihugh, on 21st June, 2024, wherein the people of Ihugh openly projected placards and chanting slogans that ‘They no longer want the Reverend Sisters to work in Ihugh’,” the letter stated.

Describing the incidents as a pattern of hostility against its institutions, the Diocese said the attacks had created fear, losses and uncertainty among its personnel and the people they served.

It lamented that its schools,  hospital and parish, which were established to provide services to the public regardless of religious or ethnic background, had repeatedly become targets of attacks.

“The Church exists to bring life. Our schools, hospital and parish in Ihugh were established for the good of all, irrespective of creed or origin. It is therefore a source of profound grief that works meant for the common good have repeatedly become targets,” it said.

The Diocese said it had made several attempts to resolve the crisis through dialogue, including engagements with the host community, traditional rulers, community elders and relevant civil and security authorities.

However, it said those efforts had failed to produce the peace and security needed for its institutions to continue operating safely.

“The Diocese has met with the host community, engaged the traditional rulers and elders of the land, and brought these grievances before the relevant civil and security authorities, all in the hope of finding a just and lasting peace,” the letter stated.

“We have listened, we have appealed, and we have waited patiently. Sadly, these sincere efforts have not yielded the peace, security and guarantees that the continued presence of our institutions requires.”

Explaining its decision, the Diocese said the repeated destruction of church property and threats against its workers had made it difficult to sustain its activities in the community.

“The Church cannot, in conscience, continue to expose her priests, consecrated persons, teachers, medical personnel, students and patients to danger, nor continue to invest the resources of God’s people where they are not safe and are not valued,” it said.

The Diocese stressed that the suspension was not an act of revenge or hostility towards the community but a response to the security challenges facing its institutions.

“We do so not in anger, nor in bitterness, nor in vengeance, but in sorrow, with prayer, and with the door of reconciliation left open,” the letter added.

It directed all pastoral and other personnel to withdraw from the affected institutions and warned that nobody would be permitted to resume duties on behalf of the Diocese in Ihugh without written authorisation from the Bishop.

To minimise the impact of the suspension on students and patients, the Diocese said affected students would be assisted to continue their education in other Catholic schools, while patients receiving care at St Thomas  Hospital would be referred to other health facilities.

The Diocese also expressed appreciation to its priests, consecrated persons, teachers, nurses, doctors, catechists and other staff who had served in Ihugh despite the reported security challenges.

“We express our deepest gratitude to our priests, consecrated persons, teachers, nurses, doctors, catechists and staff who have served in Ihugh with courage and fidelity, often at great personal cost. You have been faithful servants, and the Lord who sees in secret will reward you,” it stated.

It assured affected employees that they would be treated fairly and compassionately in accordance with Church teachings on the dignity of labour.

The Diocese appealed to community leaders, traditional rulers, youths and  government authorities to work towards restoring peace, stressing that it did not hold innocent residents responsible for the attacks.

“To the entire people of Ihugh, to its leaders and to its youth, we make no accusation against the innocent, and we hold no hatred in our hearts. We bear no ill will toward our brothers and sisters, many of whom have known only the good that these institutions brought,” the letter stated.

However, it condemned the reported acts of violence, arson and destruction, warning that such incidents harmed the entire community by depriving children of education, patients of medical care and worshippers of access to religious services.

The Diocese also called on security agencies and governments at all levels to protect lives and property and ensure that those responsible for the attacks were brought to justice.

It maintained that the suspension should not be interpreted as a permanent departure from Ihugh, expressing willingness to reconsider its decision if there was genuine repentance, restitution, a firm commitment to peace and credible, lasting assurances of safety for its personnel and property.

“This decision is a painful one, but it is not a final farewell. The Church leaves in sorrow, not in contempt,” it said.

As part of efforts to seek reconciliation, the Diocese declared Friday, October 23, 2026, a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Ihugh and other communities across the Diocese.

“We invite all the faithful of the Diocese to a season of earnest prayer and penance for the restoration of peace in Ihugh and in all our communities,” the letter stated.

When contacted, Bishop Avenya confirmed the Diocese’s decision, saying, “It is the suspension of activities over the things that happened.”