by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Suspected radicalized Fulani militants in Nigeria’s Ondo and Edo states kidnapped a total of 48 Christians in two attacks on buses on November 24, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
The November 24 attacks occurred as two groups of Christians traveled separately on Coaster buses to a funeral in Ondo state and a wedding in Edo state, respectively, MSN said. Twenty-five Christians were abducted from a bus they were taking to a wedding, and 23 were taken while traveling to a funeral.
Five of those traveling to the funeral were able to escape, including one woman who was beaten and left for dead because she could not keep up with the kidnappers on foot.
“My cousin was beaten almost to the point of death because she couldn’t walk fast,” Judith Akande told MSN.
“They left her thinking she was dead. She later got revived and was wandering in the bush until a man found her and took her to a pastor of the Christ Apostolic Church…Her daughter is among 43 others who are still held, hostage. Please join me in prayer for their release from their captors, who are believed to be herdsmen.”
Meanwhile, 23 members of the Peace House Christian ministry based in Gboko, Benue state, were abducted on November 24 as they traveled on a Coaster bus through Edo state on their way to a wedding, MSN reports. According to the Edo State Command, police and local searchers found and rescued nine of the captives from the wilderness. Five more captives were found wandering in the bush the next day.
In a message to MSN Peace House Ministry associate Segun Ariyo requested prayer, saying: “Please mobilize other Christians within your circles of influence to pray for the release of our brethren,” Ariyo said. “Let us also pray for our father, brother Gbile Akanni, his wife, the couple-to-be, and all the elders of Peace House for faith, wisdom, courage, and patience at this critical hour. We know how critical this time is for him.”
Nigeria ranked number one in the world last year for the number of Christians killed by Islamic extremists: 2,527, up from 990 in 2020, according to the Open Doors Christian persecution watchdog organization.