Our field is reporting more disturbing news out of Nigeria—this time from northeastern Adamawa State. A senior member of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Lawan Andimi, has been kidnapped by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram.
The pastor was taken during a January 3 raid on Michika, a key town on the Cameroon border. Soon after, Boko Haram released a video of Pastor Lawan calling authorities to secure his release. In the six-minute video, the pastor told his family not to “sorrow for him, since God’s will must be respected.”
“By the grace of God, I will be together with my wife and children and colleagues… don’t cry, don’t worry, but thank God for everything.”
Watch the video below.
Boko Haram fighters entered Michika on Sunday in a convoy of vehicles. A military jet circled over the town, causing the militants to hide in people’s homes, they said.
There was confusion as people ran into the bush fleeing gunfire, residents told the BBC.
Who fired first is unclear, residents said, because Boko Haram insurgents often disguise themselves in uniforms similar to Nigerian soldiers.
This attack comes a week after Boko Haram attacked a Christian village in Borno State near Chibok on Christmas eve, killing seven and taking a teenage girl—the second attack on the village in 2019.
Please pray for Pastor Lawan and his family. Pray for extraordinary grace and peace in the midst of the storm. Pray that God will fulfill His purposes for this family and that Pastor Lawan’s testimony would have far-reaching effect. Pray for wisdom and diligence for the government and swift action to secure Pastor Lawan’s release.
If God lays it on your heart to give—we invite you to take action today on behalf of your persecuted family in Nigeria. Your gift will help deliver emergency resources like food, medical care and trauma counseling—and help rebuild hearts, homes and entire communities.
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In 2020, pledge to pray weekly for Christians who share your faith but not your freedom.