The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) has condemned the abduction and continue holding in hostage, Forty-six persons including children and toddlers by yet to be identified gunmen believed to be terrorists in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The NBC made the condemnation through its President, Rev Dr. Israel Adelani Akanji, as contained in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, Rev. Ebenezer Durodola.
He wrote, “The NBC received with deep sorrow and outrage the news of the kidnapping of 46 persons by terrorists in some communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Some members of the Church gave first hand eye witness information on the incident.”
He added,”According to these verified reports, a total of 46 persons — seven teachers and 39 students — were abducted from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.”
He further wrote, “Among those taken is a two-year-old toddler, Christianah Akanbi of Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. Four motorcycles were also snatched from villagers during the attack; three from the Yawota community and one from the High School.”
Rev Dr. Akanji said that the Nigerian Baptist Convention is particularly grieved by this occurrence, the condition of the children and the toddler who are being innocently held captive in the bush and exposed daily to rainfall and harsh weather without any shelter or cover.
According to him,” Some teachers lost their lives in the attack while those in captivity are undergoing harrowing experiences and untold hardship that no human being should have to endure, let alone be forced into.”
Rev Akanji noted that this incident adds to a painful pattern over the years. “The Nigerian Baptist Convention has faced a series of attacks on our schools and churches across Nigeria with families and institutions being forced to pay huge ransoms, just as it has been the experiences of other Churches and people in Nigeria.
A case in time was the abduction of 120 students and 1 matron of the Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Kaduna on July 5, 2021.
The experience for both parents and the Church was horrifying. He stated that despite repeated calls and efforts to end these incessant abductions, killings, and destruction of churches and property, the situation continues to worsen rather than improve.
He said that Nigerians, particularly the Church, are running out of patience and cannot continue to watch while lives and properties are being daily wasted.”
He noted that the Nigerian Baptist Convention urges Government at all levels to urgently come together and find lasting solutions to these ugly, unsightly and malodorous incidents.
“This crisis requires coordinated and decisive action beyond mere statements. Security agencies handling these issues must adopt a more robust, focused, modern and hard attack strategy to eliminate these evil elements from our society.“
Rev Akanji further urged Traditional rulers, community leaders and civil society leaders to rise forcefully against this menace so that the burden does not rest on government alone.
“Local ownership of security is critical at this time.The Federal Government should also humbly seek international assistance where necessary to checkmate the influx of these criminal elements into Nigeria. And at the pain of repetition, we are calling for the immediate establishment of State Police, which must be adequately equipped and allowed to carry sophisticated weapons that are superior to those of the bandits, all in cooperation with local security groups in the fight against insurgency in Nigeria because this group has courageously delivered our communities from banditry and inhuman brutality.”
Akanji lamented that Nigeria has been left wounded, bleeding and dying like the victim of the Jerusalem-Jericho Road in the Bible (Luke 10), a follow-up to his sermon during the Independence Day Interdenominational Service at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, in 2022.
He encouraged all well-meaning Nigerians to rise up and fight this evil monster together so as to restore peace, unity and dignity to our country. He lamented the dimension of torturing innocent children in Nigeria which he said is tantamount to insulting God who has a high regard for children.
He said that in the Bible, Jesus gave an exalted place to little children and maintained that instead of offending or causing them to sin, it would be better for such an offender to tie a millstone around his neck and be drowned in the sea.
He said that this dimension of brutalizing fellow human beings, particularly little children, is a call for divine wrath on the perpetrators, which they cannot escape.
The Nigerian Baptist Convention however,commiserates with all families who lost loved ones in this attack and prays that God Almighty will comfort them; shield those in captivity until they safely return, and ward off evil from our land.
Rev Akanji assured-the government of full support and cooperation in every effort to bring our children and teachers back home safely.
“We call on all Baptists and Nigerians of goodwill to intensify prayers for the quick and safe release of all captives and for lasting peace in our nation,” he added.
