It was yet another moment of uncontrollable tears when Christian leaders and parents of the kidnapped students of the Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna converged at the school premises and engaged in over three hours of prayers for God to intervene on the situation of the kidnapped students.
The prayer session which was organized by the Kaduna Baptist Conference had many church leaders and sympathizers who offered prayers to God to touch the hearts of the abductors of the students to release them unconditionally.
Various speakers during the prayer session encouraged the parents, school management and others who were on ground to show solidarity to be strong and not lose hope over the situation.
In her short emotional speech, the principal of the school, Mrs Florence Tuga who was rushed to the hospital on the day the students were kidnapped, urged mothers to pray, touching their breasts and wombs to seek Gods intervention.
Widows, widowers, mothers, orphans and pastors took turns to pray for the safe release of the students.
President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Israel Akanji,  disclosed that Baptists all over the world were praying simultaneously for Gods intervention and  safe release of the students.
We do not have the security therefore I called on the governor of Kaduna State to ensure that the students are released, when I spoke with him, he made a promise, I am trusting God that he will keep to his word in ensuring their release.
The government is doing its best but their best is not good enough, I spoke with the commissioner of police yesterday and he said they were facing problem of manpower, it means that the inspector general of police has accepted that manpower has been inadequate to handle situations and since he said they were doing something about it, therefore manpower has not been really sufficient.
Sometimes the bandits overpower our own security personnel, it is because we have inadequate weapons or the adequate weapons are not in the hands of our people at the adequate time, I believe that something is wrong somewhere. I still believe that the Nigeria Army is a strong one. So if they are not doing the right thing in the country something is wrong somewhere, something must be done.
RELATED: Bandits Kidnap Bethel Baptist School Students In Kaduna
We will not be intimidated, we will continue to contribute to the growth and development of education in Nigeria and Gods divine intervention will take control of the situation, he said.
The Kaduna State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev John Joseph Hayab, urged Christians to be united, adding, Our governor is governing with propaganda, the government is intimidating us the Christians. Let the government be responsible, our government is full of lies, you cannot lie in reality.
You cannot govern people by dividing them, let the government be sincere and unite people and not divide them, they have failed. Nowhere is safe, we will not be intimidated. If the government is putting the bandits on the run they would not have the mind to even ask for food.
The president, Kaduna Baptist Conference and proprietor of the Bethel Baptist High School, Rev Ishaya Adamu Jangado, said, We are in trouble in this country, we are in days of evil and trouble. Christians in Kaduna are under agony and pain.
Over 400 Christians were kidnapped from January till date. We did everything government asked us to do. They are sinking us in economic danger day by day.
The pastors wives are expected to converge again today for yet another session of prayers.
Abducted Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic Students, Lecturers Regain Freedom
After 28 days in captivity, abducted students and lecturers of the Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic in Zaria, Kaduna State, have finally regained freedom.
The nine abductees comprising two lecturers and seven students including two females were released around 6pm on Thursday.
On June 10, 2021, gunmen invaded the polytechnic and started shooting sporadically, killed one student, injured one, kidnapped two lecturers.
The incident prompted the management of the school to on June11 suspend all academic activities indefinitely.
However, the school re-opened on Monday, June 18 following improvement of the security situation and measures were taken by the state government and school management to ensure safety.
Confirming the release, the spokesman of the institution, Ibrahim Shehu said, Nine students have been retrieved and all the victims were subsequently reunited with their families.
On whether ransom was paid before their release, he said, I may not know since negotiations were carried out with the abductors and the families of the victims.
All I can tell you is that they have been released and immediately reunited with their families after medical examinations.
Bandits Kill Couple, 3 Children, 4 Others In Zangon Kataf
A couple, their three children and four others have been reportedly killed in another attack in Zango Kataf local government area of Kaduna State.
The incident occurred at Warkan community, Gora Gan District in Zango Kataf LGA.
A resident, Awan Savior who disclosed the killing to LEADERSHIP Weekend, said the attackers who were suspected to be armed Fulani men invaded the community, killed nine people and burnt 12 houses.
There is still tension at the moment as some of the villagers have started parking their things out for fear of the unknown, he said.
He urged the government and security agencies to be more proactive in securing lives and property of citizens.
5 Youths Disappear In Kafanchan, As el-Rufai Condemns Killings
No fewer than five youths in Kafanchan town, Jemaa local government area of Kaduna State are reported to have disappeared, just as Governor Nasir el-Rufai condemned the killings and disappearances of people in Zangon Kataf, Igabi, Chikun and Jemaa local government areas.
The state government said security agencies had previously reported killing of citizens in Kibori, Katsit and Afana in Zangon Kataf local government area, and Amana Kasuwa of Igabi LGA before reporting the killing of nine persons in Zangon Kataf LGA, and one person at Kakkau area of Chikun LGA.
The governor condoled the families that lost their loved ones and wished those who sustained injuries speedy recovery.
El-Rufai also directed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency to urgently assess damages at Warkan village and provide relief materials to the affected citizens.
A statement issued by the commissioner, internal security and home affairs, Samuel Aruwan yesterday said  the disappearance of five youths from Kafanchan was also reported to the government by security agencies.
The governor appealed to the affected families to remain calm as security agencies are investigating the incidents.
According to the statement, the governor has been receiving hourly briefings from action agencies on the attack in Zangon Kataf LGA, as well as the general security situation in the state.
El-Rufai had on Thursday and Friday interfaced with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali over the security situation in the state.
Bandits Kill over 35 In Zamfara
Police yesterday confirmed the killing of 35 people  across five communities of Faru district in Maradun Local government area of Zamfara State on Thursday evening. The affected communities are, Tsauni, Gudan-Baushi, Gidan-Adamu, Wari and Gidan-Maidawa.
Speaking on phone, the spokesman of the state police command, SP Mohammed Shehu, said 35 people were killed in the five communities.
According to him, their corpses were taken to Faru town where they were given mass burial.
Shehu stated that the police could not reach the affected communities on time when they were informed of the bandits attack due to the road network.
The police tried their best to reach the affected communities on receiving the information that the bandits were there but unfortunately they could not reach the places because of the bad road, he said.
He maintained that the police were currently working to arrest the bandits.
An resident, Malam Abubakar Buba, said the incident occurred on Thursday evening when the bandits who were riding over 100 motorcycles stormed the communities.
Buba said the bandits were shooting sporadically at the people and at the same time burning  their houses and food stores.
They also attacked farmers who were in their farmlands cultivating their crops. 42 dead bodies have  been recovered by the security and volunteer groups in the area, he said.
According to him, the bodies, were expected  to be buried on Friday according to Islamic rites, as search was still on for the missing persons.