RismadarVoice Reporters
October 13, 2026
The Catholic Diocese of Gboko has ordered the temporary closure of its schools, hospital and parish in Ihugh, Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, following repeated attacks on church-owned facilities and growing concerns over the safety of students, workers and pastoral personnel.
The directive also includes the withdrawal of pastoral agents from the community, which is the hometown of Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The affected institutions are St. Winifred Girls Secondary School, St. Winifred Nursery and Primary School, St. Thomas Hospital and St. Winifred Parish.
The decision was communicated in a letter signed by the Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Most Rev. William Avenya, and the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Marcellinus Wende, and made available to journalists on Tuesday.
According to the diocese, the closure followed a series of security incidents, including arson, vandalism and burglaries targeting Catholic institutions in Ihugh since 2024.
The church specifically identified attacks on students’ hostels at St. Winifred Secondary School on October 28, 2025, May 10 and 15, 2026, and October 11, 2026.
It said the incidents resulted in significant damage to school infrastructure and raised serious concerns about the safety of students, teachers and other personnel.
The diocese also reported repeated burglaries at St. Winifred Parish and criminal incidents affecting St. Thomas Hospital.
It recalled that tensions arose during the hospital’s reopening on June 21, 2024, when some members of the community reportedly protested against the continued presence of Reverend Sisters working at the facility.
The church described the incidents as a persistent security threat that had disrupted its educational, healthcare and pastoral activities.
Before announcing the closure, the diocese said it had engaged community representatives, traditional rulers, elders, government officials and security agencies in efforts to address the situation.
However, it maintained that those engagements had not produced sufficient assurances for the safe continuation of operations.
“Sadly, these sincere efforts have not yielded the peace, security and guarantees that the continued presence of our institutions requires,” the letter stated.
The diocese explained that the suspension was necessary to protect lives and prevent further exposure of students, patients, employees and religious personnel to security threats.
To reduce disruption to education, it said arrangements would be made for affected pupils and students to continue their studies in other Catholic schools within the diocese.
Patients receiving treatment at St. Thomas Hospital would be referred to alternative healthcare facilities, with particular attention to those requiring urgent medical care.
The diocese also assured affected employees that their welfare would be considered in accordance with the Church’s principles on fair treatment and the dignity of labour.
Confirming the development on Tuesday, Bishop Avenya said the suspension had taken effect.
“Yes, we have suspended activities there,” he stated.
The diocese did not announce a date for reopening the institutions, leaving the resumption of educational, medical and pastoral services dependent on improvements in security conditions.
The closure is expected to affect residents who depend on the Catholic institutions for education, healthcare and religious services in Ihugh and surrounding communities.
