Seminarian murdered in latest attack on Catholics in Nigeria

The 21-year-old seminarian was kidnapped on March 3. He is one of many victims as this year has seen a "dramatic increase" in the number of seminarians, religious, and priests kidnapped in Nigeria.

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A 21-year-old Catholic seminarian in Nigeria who was kidnapped earlier this month along with a priest was “gruesomely murdered” by his captors, the Diocese of Auchi announced over the weekend.

The Diocese of Auchi is located in southern Nigeria in Edo State. The population of the diocese is about 1.2 million, of which about 10% are Catholic.

Andrew Peter, 21, was a major seminarian for the Diocese, Fr. Peter Egielewa, diocesan spokesperson, said in a statement on behalf of Bishop Gabriel Dunia.

Peter was kidnapped on March 3 along with Fr. Philip Ekeweli, said Egielewa. Ekeweli was released from captivity on the afternoon of Thursday, March 13. And is “now receiving appropriate medical attention.”

“Unfortunately, however, the 21-year-old major seminarian, Andrew Peter, who was kidnapped along with Fr. Ekweli, was gruesomely murdered by the abductors,” said Egielewa.

He continued, saying, “The Diocese expresses sincere condolences to the family members of Andrew Peter, praying God to grant them consolation and strength in this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace.”

Dunia called for additional effort by the Nigerian government to ensure the safety of Catholics.

“Life has been hell for our people”

“A call goes to the government at all levels and security agencies to stop the deteriorating security situation in Edo North in particular and other parts of Edo State,” he said.

The area “has now become a safe haven for kidnappers, operating at will, while the people feel helpless and abandoned.”

“Life has been hell for our people in recent times. People are not safe on the roads, in their farms, or even in their homes,” said Dunia.

The kidnapping of Peter and Ekeweli, and Peter’s subsequent murder, is just the latest in a troubling increase of violence towards Christians.

On March 5, Ash Wednesday, Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu was murdered less than a day after he was kidnapped from his home in the Diocese of Kafanchan, Aleteia previously reported.

Dramatic increase this year of kidnappings

In the first three months of 2025, there has been a “dramatic increase” of the number of kidnappings of Catholic priests, seminarians, and women religious, reported Vatican News.

In the last 10 years, there have been 145 kidnappings of priests in Nigeria. Eleven of those priests were murdered and four are still missing, said a new report from Fides Agency.

Nigeria was recently named the most dangerous country in the world for Christians.

In the newly released 2025 Global Persecution Index, a report compiled by the organization International Christian Concern, about 50,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed in the last two decades. Hundreds of thousands of other Christians have been displaced.

Nigeria’s Christian communities are under constant threat from multiple groups. Boko Haram, a jihadist group in the region, has waged a campaign of violence against Christian villages, schools, and churches.

Additionally, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), an ISIS-affiliated terrorist group, continues to target Christians with kidnappings and massacres.