Shock and grief have spread through Niger State in central Nigeria after gunmen raided a Catholic boarding school in the village of Papiri on November 21st, taking 303 students and 12 staff members captive. According to the Christian Association of Nigeria, 50 of the kidnapped students managed to escape within the first two days and have been reunited with their families, leaving 265 still missing.
In a separate raid, gunmen abducted 25 girls from a high school in Kebbi State during the early morning hours of November 17th. A teacher and a guard were both killed in the assault. One of the kidnapped girls has since been located, while authorities continue to search for the remaining 24 students. At the time of publishing this report, no group has claimed responsibility for either of the recently occurring school attacks, and the abductors' motives remain unclear. The total number of victims resulting from these two incidents now surpass the infamous Chibok school kidnapping of 2014, when 276 students were abducted.
Security agencies and local hunters have been "combing the forests" in search of the remaining captive students. In response to the kidnappings, Pope Leo issued the following statement: "I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages and urge the competent authorities to take appropriate and timely decisions to ensure their release."
Abductions and other atrocities continue to surge across Nigeria, leaving authorities struggling in their attempts to curtail the violence. The Christian Association of Nigeria is calling on churches throughout the country to come together in prayer on December 7th, interceding for the following five needs:
1) Divine intervention to end Christian killings in Nigeria, 2) the resettlement of displaced churchgoers, 3) a stop to the activities of terrorists, 4) heavenly wisdom for political decision-makers, and 5) restoration of peace in the country. For more reports addressing the violence facing Nigeria's Christians, see our Nigeria profile.
- Please join in the call to prayerfully uphold our long-suffering Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ, pleading for an end to the perpetual onslaught of violence in their nation.
- Intercede for the kidnapped students and staff members, asking that they would be divinely shielded from harm, immediately rescued from their plight, and safely reunited with their concerned loved ones.
- In the interim, pray on behalf of the abducted victims' families as well, that they will receive great comfort, peace and strength while awaiting urgent intervention.
- Lift up those who are responsible for these attacks, praying that they would repent, turn from their wicked ways, and receive the truth, forgiveness and eternal salvation that have been made available to them through Christ.
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