In good news from Nigeria, 100 of the children taken from their school in Niger State have been freed.
They were amongst more than 250 students and staff kidnapped from St Mary’s, a school in the Papiri community in Agwara Local Government Area (LGA), in the early hours of 21 November.
It’s one of the largest ever mass abductions in Nigeria. St Mary’s is a Catholic school, though it’s unknown how many of those taken – or recently released – are Christian.
According to Open Doors field sources, the father of three of the girls taken has died from a heart attack.
“Everybody seems to be worried, people are angry, everybody is disturbed,” a senior church leader told Open Doors partners, highlighting the broader spate of kidnappings in recent weeks. “Within seven days, children were taken away from Kebbi. Then we moved to the kidnapping and the gun attack in Kwara, and then the kidnapping of children in Niger. When you put all this together, it’s been a traumatic week for parents, leaders, and our security men.”
“We thank God for the safe return of 100 children and the government’s efforts in this,” said Jo Newhouse*, Open Doors spokesperson for work in sub-Saharan Africa. “We continue to pray and trust that all the children and staff will be safely returned home before Christmas.”
“However, more must be done to secure the release of all Nigerians who have been kidnapped. Leah Sharibu and so many Chibok girls have remained in captivity for years, and their parents have received no news about any efforts to bring them home. Many of these parents have reportedly developed health problems because the stress.
Continue to pray for Leah, the Chibok girls and thousands others whose names do not reach the news.”
“My directive to our security forces remains that all the students and other abducted Nigerians across the country must be rescued and brought back home safely. We must account for all the victims,” said President Bola Tinubu following the students’ release.
The development comes as a US congressional delegation visited Nigeria to meet government officials and church leaders to discuss the vulnerability of many Christians in the country. Congressman Riley Moore said the talks had focused on steps to enhance security and that a joint Nigeria-U.S. task force would be created.
“There is much work still to be done, but things are moving in the right direction,” he said.
*name changed to protect identity
please pray
- Praise God for the release of these students, and pray that they will recover from their ordeal
- For the imminent release of the students and staff still held, and others in the country who are in captivity after being kidnapped
- That recent developments will lead to decisive steps towards lasting protection, justice and restoration for vulnerable Christians in Nigeria.
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