Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Declare Fasting, Prayer for Safe Return of Abducted Kurmin Wali Victims

From Oyelola Femi in Kaduna

The Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association (SKCLA) has expressed deep anguish and strong condemnation over the recent kidnapping of 177 persons in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Association’s Chairman, Apostle Dr Emmanuel Nuhu Kure, described the incident as heart-rending, alarming, and unacceptable, noting that it marks the first time in the region’s history that members of three Christian denominations were abducted in a single day during church services.

The Association lamented that the Kajuru incident adds to the growing list of unresolved abductions across Southern Kaduna, particularly in Kauru, Kachia, and other vulnerable communities, where families continue to live in agony over the fate of their loved ones. The SKCLA has called on the Kaduna State Government, security agencies, and all relevant authorities to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the Kajuru victims.

In response to the crisis, the Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association has declared a two-day fasting and prayer program, grounded in Psalm 57:2-3, for the safe return of all abducted persons across the region. The fast will commence on Friday and will conclude with a special prayer session in all churches across Southern Kaduna on Sunday.

Apostle Dr Kure explained that the fast and prayer are a united cry to God for mercy, protection, and the safe return of the abducted victims. “This call to fasting and prayer is a demonstration of rare unity, as believers across denominations stand together at a critical moment in our history,” he said.

The Association has called on all Christians in Southern Kaduna and beyond to participate wholeheartedly in the fast, while also appealing to the wider Nigerian society to stand in solidarity with affected communities, especially the families of victims in Kajuru, Kauru, Kachia, and other flashpoints.

“We will not be silent in the face of evil, nor will we lose hope. We trust God for divine intervention, and we continue to demand accountability and concrete action from those entrusted with the security of lives and property,” the statement concluded.