After four hostel burnings, burglaries, and rising hostility toward clergy and health workers, the Diocese of Gboko withdraws all personnel from Ihugh — leaving a predominantly Christian farming community without its main school, hospital, and parish.
By TruthNigeria Staff
MAKURDI, Nigeria — The Catholic Diocese of Gboko has ordered the indefinite closure of four major Church institutions in Ihugh, the hometown of Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, after repeated arson attacks, burglaries, and alleged intimidation of priests and religious sisters. The October 12 decree withdraws all clergy, teachers, and health workers from the community, cutting off access to education, medical care, and parish services for thousands of residents in one of central Nigeria’s most heavily Catholic farming regions.
The shutdown follows repeated arson attacks, burglaries and alleged hostility toward Church personnel.
The October 12, 2026, decree also directs priests, religious sisters and other pastoral workers to leave the community, raising concerns about access to education, health care and religious services in the predominantly Christian farming area of central Nigeria.
The affected institutions are St. Winifred Secondary School, St. Thomas Hospital, including Salus Mind Care Center and the hospital chaplaincy, St. Winifred Nursery and Primary School and St. Winifred Parish, Ihugh.
Bishop William Avenya, who signed the decree with Diocesan Chancellor Rev. Fr. Marcellinus Wende, said repeated attacks had endangered students, teachers, health workers, priests and other personnel.
The Diocese listed four separate incidents in which students’ hostels at St. Winifred Secondary School were reportedly burned: October 28, 2025, May 10 and 15, 2026 and October 11, 2026. It also cited repeated burglaries at the parish and criminal incidents at the hospital.
The Diocese said its decision followed unsuccessful efforts to secure lasting peace through discussions with community members, traditional rulers, elders and government and security authorities.
In June 2024, during the reopening of St. Thomas Hospital, demonstrators reportedly displayed placards and chanted slogans opposing the continued presence of the Reverend Sisters in Ihugh.
Ihugh, the hometown of the Benue State Governor and former Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, is an agrarian and a predominantly Christian farming community (99% Christians, mostly Catholic) and is located 81 miles Southeast of Makurdi, the State Capital.
Residents Fear Consequences of the Shutdown
Credit: Google.
The closure has raised concerns among residents who depend on the Church’s schools and medical services.
Mathias Denen, a resident of Ihugh in an interview with TruthNigeria expressed sadness over the closure
“I knew from the beginning that, the endless altercation between the Catholic Church and Governor Alia would result to this. the perpetrators are political thugs being used by those in power and are being shielded from prosecution.
“I have four Children attending St. Winifred High School and have all returned home. I pray the issue can be resolved so that they can return back to school,” Mathias told TruthNigeria
Stephen Alagh, another resident of Ihugh said, residents of Ihugh are living in fear.
“Already, members of the Catholic Church and political thugs loyal to the state Government have been clashing intermittently and residents are bearing the brunt of it. More thugs are taking over the town, molesting those with belligerent views against the government. We need the Pope to intervene and resolve this matter,” Stephen told TruthNigeria.
Chief Superintendent of Police (rtd) and Ihugh Community Leader, Ornguga Tsev, described the development as pathetic, called for quick resolution.
“Our people who are seriously sick have been sent away from the Catholic hospitals which are closer to us and are known for best medical treatments, our children have been sent away from Catholic schools in our community. These are heavy losses we can’t cope with for a long period of time”, Ornguga told TruthNigeria.
Failed Assurances by County Chairman
The shutdown comes despite reported assurances from Vandeikya County Chairman, Dennis Terkura Guda to Bishop Avenya that, further incidents, including arson and attacks on priests, would not be allowed to continue.
The Diocese’s decision suggests those assurances have not translated into the sustained security conditions required for its institutions to operate safely.
A Long-Running Dispute Between Governor Alia and the Catholic Church
Credit: Gboko Catholic Diocese.
Credit: Chief Press Secretary to the Governor,
The crisis is unfolding against the background of a longstanding dispute between Governor Alia and the Catholic hierarchy over his entry into partisan politics.
In May 2022, Bishop Avenya suspended Alia from public ministry after he pursued the All Progressives Congress governorship nomination, contrary to the Church’s restrictions on clergy engaging in partisan politics. The suspension was announced before Alia won the 2023 governorship election.
Archbishop Emeritus John Onaiyekan of Abuja has also publicly maintained that Alia’s suspension means he should not be regarded as an active Catholic priest while the canonical restrictions remain in force.
“Alia remains suspended and does not meet the criteria to function as an active Catholic priest while holding political office”, Onaiyekan said.
The continuing disagreement has fuelled questions about relations between the state government and the Church. However, the Diocese has attributed the Ihugh shutdown to repeated attacks and the failure to guarantee safety
The Catholic Church is very clear in its law against Partisan Politics and must be respected by any Priest that wants to venture into politics. The law was applied against former Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr Moses Orshio Adasu (a Catholic Priest), was respected by him and must also be respected by the current Governor. You cease to be a Catholic Priest if you are suspended by Canon Law”, Rev. Fr Emmanuel Ejeh of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, told TruthNigeria.
Church Offers a Path to Reconciliation
The Diocese said affected students would, as far as possible, be assisted in transferring to other Catholic schools. Patients at St. Thomas Hospital would be referred to alternative facilities, with urgent cases receiving particular attention.
Affected employees are to be treated fairly, while Church property, archives and sacred objects will be secured under diocesan supervision.
Bishop Avenya stressed that the decision was not motivated by hatred or vengeance and that the Diocese held no ill will toward innocent residents.
He said the Church would consider returning when there was genuine repentance, restitution, a firm commitment to peace and credible assurances of lasting security.
The Diocese also called on community leaders, government officials and security agencies to help bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.
The immediate consequences are likely to fall on ordinary residents: children facing disrupted schooling, patients seeking alternative care and worshippers losing access to their parish.
For Ihugh, restoring normal life will require more than assurances. It will require credible investigations, accountability for the attacks and demonstrable protection for the people and institutions at risk.
