Adeboye prays for abducted school girls

THE Northern States Christian Elders Forum, NOSCEF, has urged Christians and Muslims to pull together and fight against the destructive activities of radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram, just as the Redeemed Christian Church of God intensifies prayers for the release of over 200 female students abducted by the sect in Borno State.

At the May edition of RCCG’s Holy Ghost service at the Redemption Camp on Friday night,

wife of the General Overseer, Pastor Folu Adeboye, led worshippers to condemn the continued captivity of over 200 female students from Chibok, Borno State, praying for their immediate release.

According to matriach of RCCG, Nigerians and other well meaning individuals, who are called by the name of the Almighty, must join hands to intercede for the girls who had been in captivity for weeks and their hurting parents who are yet to hear any concrete word of the whereabouts of their female wards for several weeks.

Adeboye also urged the worshippers to pray for the nation’s leaders at every level, asking God to grant them wisdom to rise above the current security challenges that has literarilly brought the whole nation to her knees.

NOSCEF condemns Nyanya blasts

In a reaction to last Thursday’s bomb blasts in Nyanya, Abuja, NOSCEF said it was obvious that everyone, regardless of religious affinity, has become a target of the terrorists’ attacks.

Chairman of the body, Elder Olaiya Phillips, in a statement, said: “It was only two weeks ago that the very same terrorists attacked in exactly the same manner only metres away from the epicentre of Thursday night’s blast.

“Such a vindictive and callous action is the product of Boko Haram’s doctrine of evil. It is a plague that we must stop now.

“Boko Haram’s logic behind such brutal acts of barbarism is to drive a wedge between peaceful Christians and Muslims. We cannot allow them to turn us against one another so they can pull our nation apart. We must stand united in opposition against their agenda of violence.”

“Boko Haram has once again shown they have no concern for who they target. They will attack Christians and Muslims indiscriminately in their quest to carve out a territory in which they can impose a radical interpretation of their religion.

“They can attack armed security forces, but prefer unarmed civilians. They kill teachers and students equally in their pursuit to prevent Northern Nigerians from educating themselves. They murder men and women, old and young,” he added.

Philips questioned how the terrorists escaped security watch and succeeded in bombing the same location twice in just two weeks, describing the latest attack as a national tragedy.

According to him: “The bombing was not just a tragedy for the victims and their families, it was a tragedy for Nigeria. Nigeria is ashamed that terrorists can return to the scene of their crime to repeat their offence. Nigeria is ashamed that our security forces cannot find more than 200 school girls kidnapped by these perverted criminals.”

“Nigeria is ashamed that the continent’s largest economy, with troops providing security in other countries, cannot protect its own citizens.

“NOSCEF demands immediate action from our security services, our Federal Government and our state governments to secure our nation’s capital; protect those citizens under threat in the North‑East and bring an end to Boko Haram’s reign of terror once and for all.”