Christian communities in Borno State are preparing for a three-day prayer and fasting programme over the continued captivity of 78 schoolchildren and other victims abducted in different parts of the state. The programme, organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria, is scheduled to run from Friday, August 14, to Sunday, August 16, 2026.
The Borno State chapter of CAN says the exercise is intended to keep attention on the victims and seek their safe return. The association is also appealing for the release of other people abducted in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area, and along the Biu-Buratai Road while travelling to Maiduguri in April.
According to a statement by the state CAN Secretary, Senior Apostle Joshua Akeredolu Michael, the 78 children have spent more than two months in captivity. The programme will also cover victims abducted in Mussa and Lassa in Askira-Uba, as well as other areas where people remain missing.
The initiative is being led by the state CAN leadership under Most Reverend Dr. John Bogna Bakeni. The association has asked church leaders across Borno to mobilise their congregations and participate in the three-day exercise within their respective churches.
CAN says the programme will conclude with prayers during Sunday services on August 16. The association expressed hope that the collective prayers would accompany ongoing efforts to secure the release of those still being held.
Beyond the religious exercise, the Christian body is calling for stronger action from the Federal and Borno State governments, as well as security agencies. It wants authorities to intensify efforts aimed at locating the victims, securing their release and preventing further abductions.
For families of those still missing, the programme comes as another expression of solidarity while uncertainty continues over the fate of their loved ones. CAN says its immediate priority is the safe return of the abducted schoolchildren and other victims, while urging all relevant authorities to sustain efforts toward that objective.
