The President of the Ekklisiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN) Church of the Brethren in Nigeria has revealed that more than 176 of the girls kidnapped in north east Nigeria by Boko Haram are from families from his denomination.
Thursday marks 500 days since their kidnapping by the Islamic extremist group opposed to Western education.
Reverend Samuel Dali's, from the diocese, has been speaking as Global Week of Action is launched by local activists to remind the girls they have not been forgotten.
Reverend Dali said more than 8,000 members of his church had lost their lives and 70 per cent of church facilities in the surrounding areas had been destroyed by the terrorist group.
Another estimated 90,000 EYN church members are thought to have been displaced by the violence in the region.
In April 2014, Boko Haram gunmen invaded the mainly Christian town of Chibok, setting fire to homes and public buildings and looting food, before kidnapping over 200 students from Government Girls Secondary School.
The girls were all sleeping at the school because they were meant to be taking the West African Examination Council exam the next day.
The "Bring Back Our Girls" campaign was launched and raises awareness about the missing girls in a number of ways, including prayers, tree planting in honour of the girls, meetings with the Chief of Defence Staff and the National Human Rights Commission, and a marches and candle light processions.
Hadiza Bala Usman, The Founder Of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) Now Holds Two Appointments http://t.co/1Ws1wouv5G pic.twitter.com/Am0SqOZBnO
— Nigeria Go News (@Nigeriagonews) August 15, 2015Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of anti-persecution charity, Christian Solidarity Worldwide said: "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the abducted girls, whose plight is too horrendous to contemplate, and with their parents, who continue to suffer immeasurably.
"The mass rape and sexual enslavement of women and girls rank among the worst of the numerous war crimes committed by Boko Haram.
"The sect's professions of impeccable religious credentials do not tally with its propensity for rampant sexual violence and indiscriminate murder.
"It is in reality a death cult that indoctrinates members to kill without conscience, regardless of the creed espoused by its victims. We continue to join with people of goodwill in Nigeria and the international community in praying for safe return of the Chibok Girls and all other hostages, and for this brutal insurgency to be brought to a swift conclusion."
Your kingdom come. Today. #CallToPrayer #BringBackOurGirls @JonathanOloyede @247prayerUK @try_praying pic.twitter.com/j2d9fR94y7
— Angie Carney (@MrsNorty) May 13, 2014Speaking on Premier's News Hour Jonathan Oloyede told Premier: "It's very difficult to give any credible information about where the girls are because, honestly, nobody really knows."
Listen to Premier's Des Busteed speak to Jonathan Oloyede here:
