Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted a Catholic seminarian, Mr. Kelvin Ochai, after attacking the residence of the Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese in Benue State. The incident occurred on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, when armed men stormed the Bishop's residence in the Asa III area of Otukpo Local Government Area, according to multiple reports. The abduction has sparked a disagreement between the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and the Benue State Police Command, with the diocese confirming a kidnapping while the police insist the matter is being treated as a missing person case.
The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Reverend Father Joseph Aboyi Itodo, confirmed the abduction in a statement issued on Friday, July 31, 2026. According to the statement, the seminarian was taken away by the assailants during the invasion of the Bishop's residence. The Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, expressed deep sadness over the incident and appealed to members of the church and the general public to pray for the victim's safe return. "Bishop Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, who is deeply saddened by this unfortunate development, has called on all Christ's Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and all people of goodwill to earnestly pray for the seminarian's quick and safe release," the statement read. The diocese also committed the abducted seminarian and all other kidnapping victims across Nigeria to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying for their speedy and safe release from the hands of their abductors.
However, the Benue State Police Command has offered a more cautious account, describing the incident as a missing person case rather than a confirmed abduction. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, told journalists that the command received a report that the seminarian had gone missing from the Bishop's residence. According to the police, Ochai left his room to take a bath in a separate building and was not seen again. "They reported that a seminarian from the Bishop residence was missing. And the report we got was that he left his room to go and take a bath. So it is assumed that where they take their bath is a room in different building from where he resides. So they noticed that after a while they did not see him again. But nobody saw anything," Aondongu explained. He added that the police were aware that about two weeks before the incident, some persons had allegedly attempted to abduct the same seminarian but he escaped. "For now we will see it as a missing person's case but investigation will reveal the exact situation later," the police spokesman stated.
The conflicting accounts have created uncertainty over the exact circumstances of Ochai's disappearance. While the Catholic Diocese insists that the seminarian was abducted by gunmen who attacked the Bishop's residence, the police maintain that there is no concrete evidence yet to confirm an abduction. The diocese, however, has assured the faithful that efforts are being intensified to secure Ochai's freedom. "The Bishop also assures the faithful that efforts are being intensified to secure Mr. Kelvin Ochai's freedom," the diocese said in its statement.
The abduction comes less than a week after fresh violence rocked parts of Benue State, where suspected armed herders reportedly killed at least three people and injured two others in separate attacks on Elulu and Agadagba communities in Ohimini Local Government Area. The attacks occurred between July 24 and July 25, with the assailants invading Elulu before launching another attack on Agadagba the following night. The latest incident has heightened concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Benue State, where communities have repeatedly suffered from bandit attacks, kidnappings, and farmer-herder conflicts.
As the search for Kelvin Ochai continues, the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo has called on all Christians and people of goodwill to pray for his safe return. The diocese has also offered prayers for the release of other Nigerians currently being held captive by bandits and other criminal groups. The Benue State Police Command has assured the public that investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the seminarian's disappearance. Meanwhile, the conflicting narratives from the diocese and the police have left the public searching for clarity, with many hoping that Ochai will be found alive and well.
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