Nigeria faces rising kidnappings and bandit attacks, prompting churches' Black Sunday

In recent weeks Nigeria has seen a surge of high‑profile kidnappings. More than 45 pupils and teachers were abducted from a school in Oyo State, with two teachers killed—one shot and another beheaded. Relatives of a former minister were rescued after a police operation, highlighting a pattern where well‑connected victims receive swift response while ordinary citizens remain vulnerable.

The country records over 4,000 kidnapping cases annually, with many more unreported, and the federal government maintains a policy of not negotiating with abductors. Calls have emerged for stricter penalties, community armed groups, and improved security forces such as the Forest Guards.

Against this backdrop, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) declared a nationwide Black Sunday to mourn victims of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping. The observance coincided with Democracy Day and urged churches, schools, hospitals and mission institutions to bolster security. Recent attacks in Borno, Ondo and Niger states, including the kidnapping of an Ondo monarch and the burning of homes and classrooms, underscore the breadth of the crisis.

CAN’s message called for urgent, sustained governmental action to protect lives and property, emphasizing that the nation is "bleeding" and that faith communities must not remain silent.