Faith, Betrayal, and Courage: How a Nigerian Nun Was Dismissed for Exposing Sexual Harassment

After ten years of devotion, Plateau-born Reverend Sister Annastasia Kinse recounts her shocking dismissal from the Auchi Diocese convent and Veritas University following her sexual harassment report, sparking outrage and calls for accountability within the Nigerian Catholic Church.

Annastasia Kinse, a 29-year-old from Plateau State and the first reverend sister from her village, has come forward with a disturbing account of sexual harassment, institutional betrayal, and unjust dismissal from the Congregation of Mother of Perpetual Help of the Archangels Sisters, under the Auchi Diocese, Edo State.

In an exclusive interview, Kinse revealed that her dismissal came shortly after she reported being sexually harassed by her head of department at Veritas University, Abuja, where she worked as a Graduate Assistant while pursuing her master’s degree.

Kinse joined the convent in July 2015 and, after two years of formation, took her perpetual vows in 2023. But ten years of devotion were abruptly cut short in July 2025, with a formal dismissal letter issued on September 24, 2025.

According to her, the decision followed her report of sexual harassment by her superior at Veritas University. Instead of receiving support, Kinse said she was subjected to intimidation, a biased investigation, and emotional distress.

“The panel made me feel like I was on trial,” Kinse recounted. “My phone and bag were seized, and I was asked humiliating questions like, ‘If you knew he would harass you, why did you go to his office?’”

Despite presenting voice recordings and videos as evidence, she said the university ignored them and refused to summon key witnesses, including the Chief Medical Director she had contacted for help.

Kinse accused both Veritas University and her religious congregation of silencing her to protect the Church’s image. Instead of pastoral care, she claimed she was sent to be “counseled” by a priest who had previously made advances toward her.

The situation worsened when a letter circulated online falsely claiming she had converted to Islam—a misinterpretation of a frustrated Facebook post she made in July 2025. Kinse clarified that it was an emotional outburst, not a renunciation of her faith.

“Ten years of obedience and sacrifice—all dismissed in an instant,” she lamented. “My belongings, including my habit, were dumped outside the convent’s gate. I was treated like an outcast by the same Church I served.”

Kinse, who is recovering from a disc bulge sustained in a 2024 motorcycle accident, said she has received no medical or emotional support from her former congregation. Instead, they contacted her parents, suggesting she needed psychiatric care—an accusation she disproved through independent evaluations at a teaching hospital.

Now living with her cousin, Kinse remains determined to pursue justice and raise awareness about abuse in Catholic institutions.

“If the Church keeps silencing victims, it will lose credibility,” she said. “I’m not seeking revenge—just justice. I want young women aspiring to religious life to discern carefully and never let fear silence them.”

Despite the trauma, Kinse draws strength from her faith and family of six siblings and loving parents who have stood firmly by her.

“God is still writing my story,” she affirmed. “If my voice helps even one person stand against injustice, my pain will not be in vain.”

As of now, neither Veritas University nor the Auchi Diocese has issued an official response to her allegations. Kinse’s revelations have sparked widespread debate online, with many Nigerians demanding transparency, justice, and institutional reform within the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

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