Nigeria has seen a spate of kidnappings in recent days with an estimated 200 mostly women taken from one state and more than 280 school children taken from another. Please pray for their safe return.
The latest abduction from Kaduna State in northern Nigeria saw students, some as young as eight years old taken by gunmen on motorcycles.
It comes days after dozens of women, boys and girls living in a displaced camp in northeast Nigeria were feared to have been abducted by Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram.
Reports suggest that up to 200 people could have been taken by insurgents from Gamboru Ngala, a small town in Borno State, when they were going to collect firewood.
“Attacks and kidnappings have seriously worsened”
Jo Newhouse, Open Doors spokesperson
Open Doors spokesperson for the region, Jo Newhouse*, says, “We are horrified at this latest mass abduction of mostly women and children by Boko Haram in Nigeria and call for their immediate release.
“For many of us this will be a reminder of when 276 mostly Christian female students aged from 16 to 18 were kidnapped by the Islamist terrorist group from their secondary school in Chibok – which was also from Borno State – in April 2014.”
More than 100 of the Chibok girls – now women – remain in captivity as of today. The families of the hostages hardly ever receive updates on the government’s efforts to release them.
Nigeria’s government is ‘failing to protect citizens’
“These are not isolated abductions,” Jo continues. “Attacks and kidnappings – particularly in the north of Nigeria – have seriously worsened over the last decade. Christians are among those who are especially targeted.
“The Nigerian government is failing to discharge its duty to protect its citizens from violence and attacks.”
This year, Nigeria remains at number six on Open Doors’ World Watch List. More believers are killed for their faith in Nigeria each year than everywhere else in the world, combined. During this year-long period, 4,118 Christians were killed for their faith in Jesus. On average, that’s more than 11 Christians killed, every day. That means approximately every two hours, a believer is killed.
We are urgently calling on the Nigerian president to liberate those abducted in this appalling attack on a group of people who are already traumatised and displaced because of insecurity.
Boko Haram is notorious for targeting Christians, abducting and killing men and abducting, raping and forcibly marrying women and girls.
We also urge the Nigerian government to work to get the hostages already held by Boko Haram liberated – including young Christian girls such as Leah Sharibu and the Chibok girls who are still held captive.
Psalm 10 tells us that God ‘sees the trouble of the afflicted’ and asks Him to ‘call the evildoer to account for his wickedness’ (verses 14-15). Please pray with us for all held captive and attacked by extremists in Nigeria.
*Name changed for security reasons
**Photo for illustrative purpose only
please pray
- For God to strengthen and protect and free the women and children who’ve been taken by the extremists
- For the safety of vulnerable believers living in IDP camps across Nigeria
- That God will convict the hearts of the extremists and cause them to repent and return to Him.
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*Any excess funds will be used to strengthen other persecuted Christians where urgent help is needed.
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