Release International

A Nigerian pastor who saw his wife and three children murdered by extremists says his loss has only strengthened his faith in Christ.

Pastor James Musa Rike lost his wife, Dune, and three of his five children when extremists attacked his village in Bauchi state on May 4.

Sixteen people – one man, three women and 12 children – were killed in the raid on Kurum village, in Bogoro local government area.

The attackers armed with guns and machetes stormed Pastor James's house around midnight. The family tried to flee but extremists shot his wife and two of their children – a child named Faith and one-year-old Fyali.

Pastor James held the hands of his 35-year-old wife as she died – then heard the cries of his 13-year-old daughter, Sum, who lay dying nearby. He prayed with Sum during her last moments.

Sum managed to tell her father that the militants had told her that they would kill her and had jeered, ‘See how your Jesus will save you.' She had replied that Jesus had already saved her and, by killing her, they would allow her to be with Him, according to Compass Direct news agency.

Pastor James, who leads a 30-strong congregation as part of the Church of Christ in Nigeria, has one remaining son and an adopted daughter, Whulham, who is still receiving hospital treatment for her injuries.

He told Compass that his loss had only strengthened his faith and his resolve. ‘Whatever the situation, I will never forsake Christ,' he said. ‘All human beings are created by God and our attackers must know that they need to abandon anything that will lead them to destroy creations of God.'

Extremists set fire to more than 20 houses in Kurum village and burgled several properties before they left.

Areas of Bauchi state such as Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa have been blighted by violence in recent months. Riots in Tafawa Balewa in late-January exposed the presence of Islamist mercenaries in the area – whom church leaders suspected of plotting a large-scale attack on Christians (Prayer Alert, February 16, 2011). In March, thousands of people were displaced in a series of night raids by heavily armed militia in Tafawa Balewa.

(Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Compass Direct)

• Thank God for the powerful testimony of Pastor James and his family. Ask God to comfort Pastor James and his surviving children. Pray that many will be added to God's Kingdom through them and that they will be blessed to see the fruit of their ministry.
• Pray that the authorities in Bauchi state will take firmer action to stamp out Islamist extremism and curb inter-religious violence.

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