Christians in northern Nigeria are appealing for your prayers after yet more attacks on their communities by extremists.
It is understood that four believers were killed and a total of 22 girls kidnapped in Islamist raids in the Chibok area of Borno state in the past two weeks.
A local resident, James Nkeki, is reported to have said that terrorists belonging to Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), formerly known as Boko Haram, attacked Pemi village last Thursday (January 20), killing a Christian identified as Blan Gutto, kidnapping 17 Christian girls aged 10 to 13 and burning down a Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) building.
‘One of the girls kidnapped I know in person is Miss Roya Joel,’ Nkeki said. ‘More than two dozen houses were burned down, and I must say that these attacks on our communities are getting out of hand. We need your prayers for God’s deliverance from these forces of evil.’
Just six days earlier, in nearby Kautikari, Iswap militants killed three Christians and kidnapped five Christian girls, local residents said. The terrorists burned down the village’s EYN worship building.
One resident, Victoria Dunga, identified the Christians killed as Joseph Sangula, Ayal Yerima Kau and Friday Abdu. She said the five kidnapped girls were Naomi Titus, Lami Yirma, Hauwa Gwarabutu and two sisters, Rahap and Saratu Born.
In a text message she said: ‘Burning down our churches will not stop us from worshipping God.’
Another resident, Blessing Bulama, texted a similar message to Morning Star News: ‘These attacks on us … will never stop us from worshipping the Lord, because the Christ in us is not the church buildings they destroy.’
Residents report that Chibok Christians have been attacked more than 100 times since the April 14, 2014, abduction of more than 276 Christian high school girls. About 100 of those girls remain in captivity.
Pray
- For peace and comfort for all those who have been bereaved and for the families and friends of the kidnapped girls.
- That all those abducted by the terrorists, both in these recent raids and in previous attacks, would be freed and reunited with their families.
- That God would move by His mighty power to end the violence in northern Nigeria that has been perpetrated against Christians for many years.
Praise
- Thank God for the faith of Christians like Victoria Dunga and Blessing Bulama who will continue to worship God despite the violence and the destruction of their church buildings.
(Source: Morning Star News report)