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Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has organised special prayers for Miss Leah Sharibu, the abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, and the 116 Chibok schoolgirls still being held hostage by terror group Boko Haram.
CAN at a special Easter Service to mark the 2019 Easter Celebration held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Monday declared prayer session for Leah Sharibu, the only Dapchi schoolgirl believed to be held by the Boko Haram faction formerly led by Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawi, and over 112 Chibok schoolgirls also held by Abubakar Shekau’s group since 2014.
“We know many Nigerians have lost hope about these girls. We are in despair and we thought they may not come back again, but with God nothing shall be impossible. Therefore, pray that our God hear us loudly that these our daughters be released by their abductors, Boko Haram,” Pastor Musa, one of the CAN prayer leaders said while leading other men of God in the prayers session at the service attended by over 3,000 Christians from various denominations in Maiduguri.
Borno State CAN chairman Bishop Mohammed Naga said Christians in the state would not lose hope of release of the abducted girls and all persons kidnapped by Boko Haram irrespective of their faith.
Earlier, while delivering a sermon tittled the ‘Glory of His resurrection’, Rev Abel Ikeji of the Assemblies of God Mission, Maiduguri, urged Christians to emulate the virtue of Christ by walking in righteousness. He charged civil servants, politicians and pastors or church leaders against corruption.
“Any pastor who uses tricks to collect money from members using the name of God and stealing or embezzling church money is not of Christ and has crucified Christ the second time,” he said. He explained that Christ resurrection verifies Christian faith in Jesus, demonstrates power available to Christians and gives hope to believes. He urged Christian to pursue holiness not only during Easter celebration but throughout their life time.
Boko Haram had abducted 110 school girls, ages between 11 and 19, at the Government Science and Technical Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State on February 19, 2018.
A total of 104 girls were later released by the insurgents a month later following intensed negotiations by an international group. Some of the freed girls said five out of the 110 abducted died on the day of the abduction as they were being whisked away in the desert. However, the insurgents still held Leah Sharibu, the only Christian among the girls, for allegedly refusing to convert to Islam.
A total of 276 school girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram custody in their school dormitory on April 14, 2014. Fifty seven had escaped on the night of the abduction while 103 in the batches of 21 and 82, have regained their freedom leaving a balance of 116 still with Boko Haram.
