Bishop Of Auchi, Dunia Blames Edo Police For Death Of Seminarian

By Editor

The Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Dunia has described as false a report which quoted him as blaming Edo State Government for not doing enough to effect the release of the abducted priest, Rev. Philip Ekweli and a seminarian, Andrew Peter, 21, who was reportedly murdered.

The priest was released at about 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025, close to Amughe village, a few kilometres from Okpekpe town, North Ibie in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, ending ten days of captivity in the hands of his abductors. He is now receiving appropriate medical attention.

Speaking on his mobile phone from his base in Auchi, Bishop Dunia said that the state government did it very best in handling the crisis situation but however had harsh words for men of the Edo State Police Command, who he accused of bungling the rescue efforts.

He said: “I never criticized Edo State Government. The government did it very best in handling the situation but it is the police which messed up the rescue effort. Their action led to the alleged murder of the 21 year old seminarian, whose remains are still missing.

“The Diocese is grateful to Edo State Government for it sincere efforts in seeing the victims rescued but expresses dissatisfaction with the response of the police in particular in the rescue efforts. The police should put in place better measures to rescue kidnapped victims rather than leave the entire rescue efforts solely in the hands of family, friends, and acquaintances of kidnapped victims.”

The clergyman fumed, saying that it was obvious that the police were in league with the abductors and passing crucial messages to them, an action which was at variance with the determined attempt by the state government to effect the rescue efforts of the state government.

Rev. Dunia chided the police over a premature statement which said that some of the alleged kidnappers have been killed in a shoot out with the law enforcement agents, noting that it was the false disclosure, which prompted the unknown gunmen to punitively kill the seminarian.

“The Diocese of Auchi expresses gratitude to all including the Edo State Government for the prayers and moral support received while Rev. Ekweli and the seminarian were held in captivity,” he said.