Suspected Fulani herdsmen in southwestern Nigeria kidnapped Christian workers taking a bus to a wedding, while another group of Christians was kidnapped en route to a funeral in the same state.
A relative of one of 48 Christians who were kidnapped off a Coaster Bus going from Ondo state to attend the funeral in Edo state on 24 November said her cousin escaped because she was beaten and left for dead.
“My cousin was beaten almost to the point of death because she couldn’t walk fast,” Judith Akande reported. “They left her thinking she was dead. She later revived and was wandering in the bush until a man found her and took her to a pastor of the Christ Apostolic Church.”
Four other captives also escaped, and her cousin received medical treatment, she said.
“Her daughter is among 43 others who are still held hostage,” Akande said. “Please join me in prayer for their release from their captors, who are believed to be herdsmen.”
On the same day, suspected herdsmen in Edo state kidnapped 23 workers from Peace House, a Christian ministry based in Gboko, Benue state, as they were in transit to the wedding of the organisation president’s son.
As they travelled from Benue state to Ilorin, Kwara state, at about 4pm, they were kidnapped near Ibillo town, Edo state, according to Chidi Nwabuzor, spokesman for the Edo State Command, who said police and local searchers found and rescued nine of the captives from the wilderness.
The next day, the searchers found five more of the abducted passengers in the wilderness, bringing the total recovered to 14, he said.
Ministry associate Segun Ariyo said in a text message that two of the kidnapped church workers and the bus driver reported the crime after escaping when their captors were marching them into the wilderness. He requested prayer for the remaining captives and their families, including Peace House President Gbile Akanni.
Ministry associate Segun Ariyo said in a text message that two of the kidnapped church workers and the bus driver reported the crime after escaping when their captors were marching them into the wilderness. He requested prayer for the remaining captives and their families, including Peace House President Gbile Akanni.
Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a recent report.
“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP [Islamic State West Africa Province] and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.
Sources: Morning Star News
Please Pray
Pray for the Lord’s intervention. Ask for the release of all captives in these cases. Remember the many more captives across the north of Nigeria, pray too for their families.
Pray the authorities will act to ensure the protection of Christian communities vulnerable to attack. Pray also for wisdom and strength as they bring perpetrators to justice.
Pray the Holy Spirit will bring deep conviction and repentance to the perpetrators. Pray the Lord will bring them out of darkness and into his marvellous light.