We serve Christians around the world whose brave faith in Jesus means they are, beaten, threatened, imprisoned, tortured, falsely accused, disowned and hated.

Nigeria: All but one kidnapped students released

pattern

In good news from Nigeria, all but one of the 121 students kidnapped from a Christian school last summer have been released. The students were taken by armed bandits from Bethel Baptist School in Kaduna State on 5 July. They have since been released in batches, with the latest coming at the turn of the year.

“The number of the released students includes one student, who was freed on 28 December 2021 and another one who was freed on 1 January,” reports John Hayeb, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). “With the release of these two students, a total of 120 students have regained their freedom… only one student is still with the bandits.”

Parents faced with awful dilemma

The Nigeria Baptist Convention (NBC) has admitted to paying ransoms to secure the release of the students.

“Initially we didn’t want to spend money, we didn’t believe in spending any money, that was how we began,” shares Israel Akanji, president of NBC. “I even said this openly that we will not spend money, but I am also saying it openly now that we have had to spend money, we were forced to spend money.”

He continues, “When our children spent one month and did not come and these bandits were telling us that they will start killing our children one by one, then we had to weigh between our money being in our pockets and our children dying or our children been released to us and we losing our money.”

Armed bandits are targeting civilians in Nigeria with increasing impunity. Christians are amongst those affected, even if faith tends not to be the motivator behind the bandits’ activities. That said, most bandits come from Muslim backgrounds and there are links between them and militant groups such as Boko Haram. Consequently, kidnapped Christians are vulnerable to harsher treatment.

Nigeria most violent country for Christians

It’s reached the point where parents have opted against sending their children to school, because schools are a soft target for the bandits. The risk of kidnap – and the financial and emotional cost it would bring – is too great. This has led to the closing of several boarding schools across states in north-west and north-central Nigeria.

The bandits’ activities extend to terrorising entire villages and communities, and in some cases they demand ‘taxes’ to ‘protect’ people against further attacks.

Explore the Open Doors World Watch List here…

PRAY NOW...
1

Give thanks for the release of more students and ask God to heal all emotional, spiritual and physical wound

3

That the government and security forces in Nigeria will be equipped to deal with growing insecurity across the country.

2

That the remaining student will be soon released and reunited with their family

Find out more:
  • 1
    Get our free glow-in-the-dark World Watch List map and tattoo

    We want to help you pray to bring light into the darkness, so we've created an awesome new map with stories, actions and prayer points. It also glows in the dark and comes with a glow-in-the-dark tattoo which will help to remind you to keep praying for God's light to shine in the darkest places. We've also got a youth session outline for leaders to use alongside the map too. Get your free World Watch List resources here...

    Get your free
NEWS
June 30, 2025

Pray for 18-year old Tham from Vietnam who was kicked out of her home because of her faith in Jesus.

Find out more
June 30, 2025

Meet Daniel, a courageous Bible smuggler who takes Scripture into the Muslim world, continuing the legacy of Open Doors founder, Brother Andrew!

Find out more
June 23, 2025

Pray for two teachers who were detained after they organised a secret Christian camp for young people…

Find out more
June 23, 2025

Please pray for Christians in Syria after a brutal attack during a church service which killed nine innocent people…

Find out more
June 16, 2025

Meet Ethan, a church leader in Asia who came to faith as a teenager after stealing a Bible from his local church!

Find out more
June 9, 2025

Over 100 Christians are killed in a series of attacks after the local bishop spoke publicly to the US Congress about violence against the church in his region.

Find out more
June 9, 2025

Pastor Myint and his family have lived through death threats and displacement, but they are determined to keep serving God.

Find out more
June 2, 2025

See how your prayers and support are changing lives of people like Romi, who grew up as a ‘Christian’, but only truly started following Jesus in his 30s…

Find out more
June 2, 2025

Get inspired by Mira’s brave choice to choose to follow Jesus and get baptised, despite meaning rejection from her family.

Find out more
May 27, 2025

Read this incredible story of God’s miraculous protection over the life of a Central Asian house church leader and his congregation!

Find out more
btn-scroll