That Nigeria is under siege and perhaps, experiencing one of her worst moments in recent times is not in doubt. This is despite the success of the World Economic Forum on Africa (WAFA) which took place at Abuja from the 7th to the 9th of May, 2014.

The foremost threat now to our national stability comes from terrorism, and the widespread insecurity in the country.  Insecurity has escalated in recent times especially since over 300 school girls were abducted from their school in Chibok, Bornu State by the terrorist group, Boko Haram. Apart from 50 girls who managed to escape from their captors, the whereabouts of the rest is still not certain. Worse still, is the impunity shown by the captors who boasted publicly that they will sell their victims in the slave market.

Apart from the problem of insecurity, the state of the economy is no better. The rate of unemployment is so worrisome. The so-called job creation by the Federal Government has not shown much impact among the youths, and has hardly alleviated the rate of crime. Apart from unemployment, there is also the problem of the lack of power. The so- called privatisation of the electricity companies has not improved the supply of electricity to the public.

Christian Association of Nigeria released the names of the abducted students in Chibok. A statement signed by evangelist Matthew Owojaiwe, the President of Old Time Revival Hour, chairman of Northern States Christian and Elders Forum says he believes the reason for the attack on Chibok Girls’ High School is, ‘Chibok Local Government is 90% Christian and the majority of the girls are Christian! Why did Boko Haram visit Chibok Local Government? Why didn’t they visit so many other Local Government girls secondary schools in Borno State?’ CAN has called the Nigerian Church to pray for their release for 15 minutes every time they gather. Owojaiye said. ‘For daughters of Zion taken captive, to be treated as slaves and sold into marriage to unclean people - an abomination has been committed. Raise lamentation to High Heavens. What a shame on the Church of the Living God. Military force may not get them out! Intensive agonising prayer will.’
Pray: for the Church to be strong in their lamentation prayer. Let God arise and defend his Name. (Ps.3:7)
More: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/05/chibok-can-releases-names-abducted-girls/#sthash.7lvzWxYQ.dpuf

Last week you were asked to pray for more than 230 school girls abducted by Boko Haram militants in Chilbok.  This week, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the United Nations' special adviser on girls' education, will visit Nigeria to launch a campaign to raise funds and awareness of the schoolgirls' plight. ‘We cannot stop terrorism overnight but we can make sure that its perpetrators are aware that murdering and abducting schoolchildren is a heinous crime that the international authorities are determined to punish,’ he said. Relatives say they have been told of mass weddings last weekend involving insurgents and some of the abducted girls. ‘It's unbearable. Our wives have grown bitter and cry all day. The abduction of our children and the news of them being married off is like hearing of the return of the slave trade,’ said Yakubu Ubalala, whose 17- and 18-year-old daughters Kulu and Maimuna are among the disappeared.
Pray: for Nigeria's armed forces who face an uphill battle against the insurgents. (Ps.58:9). Pray protection for communities across the country's porous desert borders. (Ps.58:10,11)
More: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/29/kidnapped-nigerian-schoolgirls-marriage-claims

As Nigeria struggles with the abduction of 200+ girls in April, Voice of America reported eight more teenage girls being kidnapped from Warabe village in north-eastern Nigeria on Tuesday night. On Monday the leader of Boko Haram said ‘I abducted your girls. Allah commands me to sell them in the market.’ President Goodluck Jonathan, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and several Christian groups are calling for everything to be done to rescue the girls. Boko Haram kidnaps Christian girls and turns them into sex slaves. Their strategy is ‘marry the girls and kill the men’. So by kidnapping these female students they demonstrate the impunity with which Boko Haram has been running its terrorist activities,’ Pray for God to employ more international governments to work in unity using technology and strategies that will end the reign of Boko Haram. See also
Pray: for the girls' release, for their healing from the dehumanisation, anguish and humiliation and for justice to be served. (Ps.7:5-7)
More: http://www.christianpost.com/news/boko-haram-leader-admits-to-abducting-200-schoolgirls-says-allah-told-him-to-sell-them-119128/


While the violence directed against Christians in northern Nigeria lately has been at the hands of the Islamic insurgent group Boko Haram, previous attacks against Christian villages were perpetrated by members of the nomadic Fulani herdsmen. The Fulani are traditionally Muslim and resent the encroachment of Christian settlements on land they use for grazing their cattle. They consider Christians as infidels that should be exterminated. Going back further into Nigeria’s history we get a glimpse of a root of division and animosity that todays challenges may stem from. In 1809 the North of Nigeria was established as a single powerful Islamic state that existed throughout the 1800s. Meanwhile in the south between 1830s-1886 civil wars plagued the Yorubaland speaking region. In 1960 Nigeria gained independence from Britain and an amalgamation of more than 200 tribes was divided into three regions based on the three major ethnic groups. Ethnicity and religion still play a huge role in Nigerian politics.

Pray: for God to remove violent spiritual roots that have been allowed to grow in the nation; pray that every altar raised against God’s purposes for Nigeria shall fail. (1Jn.3:8)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13951696

  1. Nigeria: Terror grips northern Nigeria after Boko Haram kidnappings
  2. Nigeria: National Conference needs prayer
  3. Nigeria: Bomb kills 71 at bus station
  4. Nigeria: Militants kill 1,500 already this year

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