Two congregations in Nigeria are mourning the death of their pastor after three days of violence across four states.
Unidentified attackers shot Pastor Michael Akawu on a Saturday night in Gwagwalada, Abuja – just a few hours before suspected Fulani murdered Pastor Hosea Akuchi at his church in Guguwa, Kaduna. Pastor Hosea’s widow, Talatu, was kidnapped: her family have received a 5m Naira (about £10,000) ransom demand.
At least 65 other people were killed in attacks on villages in Plateau and Borno states over the same weekend and the following day.
Please pray for all those mourning loved ones in Nigeria.
The heaviest toll was in Malari village in Borno state, where 63 people died on August 20, apparently at the hands of
Boko Haram. Two people were shot dead in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau state – one by Fulani herdsmen and one allegedly by security personnel tasked with protecting the village from attack.
The Christian Association of Nigeria called the security situation ‘reprehensible’ and urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies to bring an end to the ‘senseless killings’.
(Source: Release partners)
- Ask God to bind up the broken-hearted and the grief-stricken. Pray that Talatu will be restored to her family quickly and ask God to provide for them.
- Pray that President Buhari and Nigeria’s parliament and military will act with one accord and firm resolve to end the bloodshed in northern and central Nigeria.
- Lift up in prayer the Fulani and Boko Haram militants suspected of involvement in these attacks – and pray they will turn away from violence. Find out more about our #Pray50 campaign.
UPDATE
Please continue to pray for our family across
China where the Government is continuing to repress churches and force them to show their allegiance to the state. Recent church closures have been reported in Henan and Jiangsu provinces. All churches in Xinyu County, Jiangxi, have had their crosses removed and been ordered to fly the Chinese flag; children in the area have been banned from attending church. Other congregations, including in Zhejiang, have been forced to sing patriotic songs. (Source: China Aid)
Please
sign our petition calling on the Chinese Government to repeal its restrictive 2018 Regulations for Religious Affairs and uphold people’s constitutional right to religious freedom.
With updates from China
