Seth Udinski, FISM News
Earlier this month, FISM News reported the horrifying kidnapping of roughly 120 Nigerian Christian school students from Bethel Baptist High School near Kaduna. The original report listed the number of children abducted at 150, but recent reports put the actual number closer to 120. This past week, a sliver of good news came out of the situation, but it is still ongoing.
28 of the kidnapped students were released over the weekend and returned safely to their families on Sunday. To date, 34 of those originally kidnapped have either escaped or been released. Sources indicate that there are still more than 80 children trapped in the custody of the kidnappers.
While the identities and organization behind the kidnappers is still somewhat unclear, their motive is not. According to a report by Christianity Today, the criminals are holding the children for ransom, demanding roughly $1,200 per child.
It is good news worth celebrating that 28 children were reunited with their families over the weekend. However, the Church must stand with these Nigerian believers in prayer for the safety of their little ones still held hostage. Pastor Samson Olasupo Ayokunle mourned the attack and summed up the immense trials facing Christians in the region:
Christians in Kaduna State have suffered too much from the hands of their attackers, whether Fulani herdsmen, bandits, or terrorists.