By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro
Nigerian Catholic Nun Claims Dismissal After Accusing Priests of Sexual Harassment, Says She Has Proof
A former Catholic nun, Reverend Sister Anastasia Kinse, has come forward with shocking allegations against priests within the Catholic Church in Nigeria, claiming she was dismissed from her convent after exposing sexual harassment and abuse.
Speaking in a televised interview on Arise TV on Monday, October 13, Sr. Anastasia recounted her ordeal in vivid detail, insisting she possesses evidence to support her claims. Her revelations have sparked public outrage and reignited debate about the Catholic Church’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations.
Sr. Anastasia said she joined the Congregation of Mother of Perpetual Help of the Archangels Sisters, under the Auchi Catholic Diocese in Edo State, in 2015. But her dream of serving God and humanity, she said, quickly turned into a nightmare.
“I joined the convent with pure intentions, hoping to dedicate my life to Christ. But I didn’t expect the Church to be the very place where I would experience humiliation and abuse,” she told Arise TV.
According to her, the first incident occurred in 2016, when a priest she worked closely with invited her to spend a week at his parish. She said she declined the invitation, sensing inappropriate intentions. Shortly afterward, she alleged that another priest wrapped his belt around her waist, claiming he was merely taking her measurement for new clothes.
“He said he wanted to sew something for me, but before I knew it, his hands were all over me. I froze. When I tried to report it, they said I was imagining things,” Sr. Anastasia recounted emotionally.
She claimed that after she reported the incident to higher Church authorities, the response was not protection or investigation, but accusations of insanity.
“They said I was mentally unstable and needed prayers. Soon after, they expelled me from my teaching duties and eventually dismissed me from the congregation,” she said.
The former nun revealed that she has kept records, messages, and correspondences that she says prove her claims. She added that her attempts to seek justice through official Church channels were ignored, forcing her to speak publicly.
“I have evidence—letters, text messages, and witnesses. I was silent for too long because I feared God and respected the Church. But the truth must be told,” she declared.
Sr. Anastasia’s revelations have drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians. While some have commended her courage for speaking out against powerful clergy, others have called for a fair and thorough investigation before conclusions are drawn.
Human rights activists and women’s groups have also begun calling for the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to intervene, urging transparency and protection for potential victims within the Church.
Attempts to reach officials of the Auchi Diocese for comment have so far proved unsuccessful. However, sources close to the Church reportedly described her dismissal as a result of “behavioral and psychological concerns,” an explanation Sr. Anastasia firmly rejects.
“They labeled me mad because I refused to keep quiet,” she said. “If telling the truth makes me mad, then I accept that label. But I will not be silenced.”
Her case echoes a growing number of similar allegations from women in religious communities worldwide, highlighting what critics describe as a culture of silence and institutional protection of abusers within some religious organizations.
Sr. Anastasia insists that she does not intend to destroy the Church but hopes her story will inspire reform and accountability.
“The Church is my home. I still love it deeply. But there can be no true holiness without truth and justice,” she said. “I am speaking out so that others who are suffering in silence can find the courage to do the same.”
As calls for investigation grow louder, Sr. Anastasia’s story has opened a difficult conversation about sexual abuse, power, and silence in religious institutions—one the Nigerian Catholic Church may no longer be able to ignore.
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