Nigeria: Gunmen shoot dead the son of a Baptist pastor, abduct pastor’s wife and others, “we are fervently praying to God”

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – As the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria continues with minimal intervention by the government, gunmen in Kaduna state on Friday shot and killed the son of a Baptist pastor before abducting the pastor’s wife and three other people, the Christian Post (CP) reports.

Friday’s attack by suspected bandits occurred in the Karimbu-Kahugu community in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, CP reports. The murder and abductions were confirmed by Peter Mukaddas, the Vice Chairman of the Kahugu National Development Associations. It is understood the gunmen went to the pastor’s home and shot his son when he tried to block them. The gunmen then seized the pastor’s wife and three other people who were in the house at the time as hostages.

“We are appealing to the government and security agencies to swing into action as soon as possible to ensure our loved ones are rescued alive,” Mukaddas said in a statement. “We are fervently praying to God to touch their hearts so that they can see the wisdom to release them.”

In a move that has been heavily criticized by Christian advocates, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken removed Nigeria from the United States’ List of Countries of Particular Concern in 2021. Blinken’s decision remains in place despite the ongoing perilous situations for Christians in Nigeria.

Described as a “killing field for Christians” in a recent report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Nigeria ranks 6th on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2023 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. Tens of thousands of Christians have been murdered in Nigeria since 2015, mostly by radicalized Fulani herdsmen and the jihadist terror groups Boko Haram and Islam State West Africa.

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