Good Friday is a holy day observed by the Christian community, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus as well as the victory of good over evil.
Instead of Nigerian Christians joining their counterparts worldwide to commemorate the cruxifixion, they are asked to pray to God to send His Angels to free Miss Leah Shairbu, the only Dapchi school girl from Boko Haram captivity.
A total of 104 out of the 110 students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from the school on February 19, were released by the abductors on March 21, but Sharibu was not one of the girls brought back.
She was reportedly held back for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) wants Christians across the country to begin the prayers from 12 noon on Good Friday.
Vanguard reports that the call was made by Rev. Samson Ayokunle, the CAN president, who released a statement via Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, his special assistant on media and communication, noted that Christians had entered into a ‘Passion Week’, in which Christ submitted himself to be crucified to atone for the sins of the world.
“We should be passionate in our worship of Jesus and in our proclamation of His Gospel. As He suffered for us, so should we be willing to suffer for the cause of following Him and proclaiming the message of His death and resurrection.”
“It is against this background that the leadership of CAN is calling on every Christian nation-wide to stand in the gap for that innocent girl, Leah Sharibu, at 12 noon on Good Friday, asking God to send His Angels to deliver her from the captivity as He did for Apostle Peter who was jailed unjustly.”
Ayokunle also urged the federal government to work towards securing the release of Miss Sharibu, stating: “CAN is also reminding the federal government and the security agencies of the need to free Leah and other captives from captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists.
“It is high time our security operatives lived up to the expectations of the people. They should stop the spate of abductions of innocent citizens by terrorist as well as killings by Fulani herdsmen across the country while mounting adequate security for citizens of the country.”
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Congress of Northern Nigeria Christians (CNNC) in Kaduna on Monday, March 26, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to put more effort into securing the release of Leah Sharibu.
Source: Naij.com
