A former altar boy has accused a Catholic priest in Nigeria’s Ijebu-Ode Diocese of sexually abusing him for years, prompting a church investigation that resulted only in a canonical rebuke—sparking allegations of a cover-up and demands for stricter action.
IJEBU-ODE, Nigeria — The Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode has issued a formal rebuke to one of its priests after a former altar boy came forward with allegations of sexual abuse that he says lasted for years, raising fresh questions about the church’s handling of such cases in Nigeria.
The accuser, Bayo, now 33, said the abuse began in 2005 when he was 15 and living under the guardianship of the Rev. Kenneth, a priest he had once revered. In an emotional interview, Bayo described how the priest allegedly coerced him into sexual acts, telling him it was a way to avoid sinful relationships with women.
“I saw him as a man of God, so I trusted him completely,” Bayo said. “He told me this was how to stay pure.”
The case, which has wound through church courts for nearly a decade, resulted in only a canonical rebuke for Father Kenneth — a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from advocates for abuse victims. Church investigators acknowledged “a degree of suspicion” about the priest’s conduct but cited legal technicalities and lost evidence as reasons for not imposing harsher penalties.
“The church had multiple opportunities to do the right thing here and failed each time,” said a Nigerian priest familiar with the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss internal matters. “This sends a terrible message to other victims.”
Documents obtained by The New York Times show the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which handles abuse cases, struggled for years to get complete records from the Nigerian diocese. At one point, investigators noted that key files from an earlier probe had mysteriously disappeared.
Bishop Francis Adesina, who leads the Ijebu-Ode diocese, declined to be interviewed. In a written statement, a diocesan spokesman said all procedures had been properly followed and emphasized that Father Kenneth remained under church supervision.
For Bayo, who now lives abroad, the outcome has been devastating. “They protected the institution instead of protecting me,” he said. “I just want to make sure no other boy goes through what I did.”
The case comes as the global Catholic Church continues to grapple with its legacy of sexual abuse scandals. In Nigeria, where conservative attitudes about sexuality often discourage victims from coming forward, advocates say cases like Bayo’s are rarely made public.
Father Kenneth could not be reached for comment. When contacted by phone, he abruptly ended the call after the allegations were mentioned.