Christian leaders in Southern Kaduna have declared a two-day fast and prayers over the abduction of 177 worshippers from churches in Kajuru last Sunday, urging the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims from the hands of terrorists.

The Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association (SKCLA) expressed deep anguish and condemnation over the incident in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Chairman of SKCLA, Apostle Emmanuel Nuhu Kure, described the kidnapping as “heart-rending, alarming, and unacceptable,” noting that it marks the first time in the region’s history that members of three different Christian denominations were abducted in a single day during church services.

The Association lamented that “the Kajuru incident adds to the growing list of unresolved abductions across Southern Kaduna, particularly in Kauru, Kachia, and other vulnerable communities, where families continue to live in agony over the fate of their loved ones.”

While calling on the Kaduna State Government, security agencies, and all relevant authorities to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the Kajuru victims, the Christian leaders also called for decisive action to end the recurring cycle of kidnappings in the region.

Apostle Kure said that “as a spiritual response to the crisis, the Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association has declared a two-day fasting and prayer programme founded on Psalm 57:2–3, for the safe return of all abducted persons across the region.”

According to the statement, the two-day fasting will commence on Friday this week and conclude with a special prayer session in all churches across Southern Kaduna on Sunday.

“This call to fasting and prayer is a united cry to God for mercy, protection, and the safe return of our brothers and sisters from captivity,” Kure said.

He added, “It is also a demonstration of rare unity, as believers across denominations stand together at a critical moment in our history.”

The Association called on all Christians in Southern Kaduna and beyond to participate wholeheartedly in the fast, while also appealing to the wider Nigerian society to stand in solidarity with affected communities, especially families of victims in Kajuru, Kauru, Kachia, and other flashpoints.

“We will not be silent in the face of evil, neither will we lose hope. We trust God for divine intervention, and we continue to demand accountability and concrete action from those entrusted with the security of lives and property,” the statement stressed.