The Catholic Diocese of Gboko has suspended activities at its schools, hospital and parish in Ihugh, Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, following repeated attacks, arson, burglaries and alleged harassment of church personnel.
The suspension, effective October 12, 2026, will remain in force until further notice. The Diocese has also ordered the withdrawal of priests, Reverend Sisters, teachers, healthcare workers and other staff from the affected institutions.
Ihugh is the hometown of Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The affected facilities are St Winifred Secondary School, St Winifred Nursery and Primary School, St Thomas Hospital, including Salus Mind Care Center and its chaplaincy, and St Winifred Parish.
The decision was announced in a pastoral letter and decree signed by the Bishop of Gboko, Most Rev. William Avenya, and the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Marcellinus Wende.
The Diocese said the decision followed years of insecurity, including repeated fires at student hostels, persistent burglaries at the parish and criminal incidents at the hospital.
It identified October 28, 2025, May 10, May 15 and October 11, 2026, as dates when St Winifred Secondary School’s students’ hostels were set ablaze.
The attacks, it said, destroyed facilities built over several years and exposed students, teachers and other workers to serious danger.
“Over a considerable period, the Catholic institutions in Ihugh have suffered repeated disturbances, attacks and acts of destruction,” the letter stated.
The Diocese added that the incidents had created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among staff and the people who relied on the institutions for education, healthcare and worship.
Diocese Cites Hostility Towards Religious Workers
The Church also recalled an incident during the reopening of St Thomas Hospital on June 21, 2024, when some residents allegedly displayed placards and chanted slogans demanding the withdrawal of the Reverend Sisters working at the facility.
It described the incident, alongside the repeated hostel fires and burglaries, as evidence of a sustained pattern of hostility towards its institutions and personnel.
“The persistent burning down of St Winifred Secondary School students’ hostels was not an isolated event,” the letter said, adding that the attacks had undermined the safety of those serving the community.
The Diocese expressed regret that facilities established to benefit people regardless of their religious beliefs or background had repeatedly come under attack.
“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 stated.
According to the Diocese, it had attempted to resolve the dispute through dialogue with the host community, traditional rulers, community elders and relevant government and security authorities.
However, it said those engagements had failed to produce the security guarantees needed to keep the institutions operating safely.
The Church said it had repeatedly pursued reconciliation rather than confrontation but could no longer justify exposing its workers and beneficiaries to further danger.
“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,” the letter stated.
It maintained that its decision was not driven by revenge or hostility towards the community.
“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,” it added.
Students, Patients to Be Transferred
As part of the suspension, the Diocese directed that no individual should resume duties at any of the affected institutions in its name without written authorization from the Bishop.
It said arrangements would be made to help students continue their education at other Catholic schools, while patients who would ordinarily seek treatment at St Thomas Hospital would be referred to alternative healthcare facilities.
The Diocese also expressed appreciation to the priests, Reverend Sisters, teachers, doctors, nurses, catechists and other workers who had served in Ihugh despite the security challenges.
It assured affected employees that their welfare would be handled fairly and in line with Church teachings on the dignity of labour.
“Staff affected by this decision will be treated with justice and charity, in accordance with Church teaching on the dignity of labour,” it said.
The Diocese appealed to residents, community leaders, traditional rulers, youths and government authorities to work towards restoring peace, stressing that it did not hold the entire community responsible for the incidents.
“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,” the letter stated.
However, it condemned arson, violence and the destruction of property, warning that such acts deprived communities of essential services and undermined their development.
It 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.
Church Leaves Door Open for Return
The Diocese stressed that the suspension should not be interpreted as a permanent withdrawal from Ihugh.
“This decision is a painful one, but it is not a final farewell. The Church leaves in sorrow, not in contempt,” it said.
It said a return to the community would depend on genuine repentance, restitution, a firm commitment to peace and credible, lasting assurances for the safety of its personnel and property.
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.
“We invite all the faithful of the Diocese to
