The Nigerian Baptist Convention has described as pathetic the kidnapping of Bethel Baptist High School students in Damishi, Kaduna.

It appealed to the federal government and Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s administration to intensify efforts to end the spate of kidnapping and banditry.

Baptists President Israel A kanji made the appeal on Tuesday in a statement in Ibadan.

Mr Akanji called on members of the Baptist family, both within and outside the country, and well-meaning Nigerians to pray for the safe return of the schoolchildren and others held hostage by bandits in the North.

He also urged parents to remain calm and keep faith in God “for there is nothing he cannot do.”

“We received a distress call in the early hours of Monday, July 5, 2021, that bandits had attacked Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Kaduna. We immediately contacted security operatives and mobilised other stakeholders for a rescue mission. To the glory of God, 28 students have been reunited with their families, while 125 students are yet to be accounted for.

“We have been reliably informed that search and rescue operations are ongoing, involving the Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Air force, and other security agencies. We strongly believe that, by the grace of God, these students will safely return to their parents soon,” said the Baptist president.

He, however, noted, “The situation in which we found ourselves is indeed pathetic, particularly for the parents of the kidnapped students and the school community. We feel their pains, and our prayer is that God Almighty will arise and intervene in this unfortunate incident.”

(NAN)