A group of Anglicans have announced that a Christian woman and a member of Diocese staff have been kidnapped in Nigeria.
Saratu Zubairu is the wife of Rt Rev Idris Ado Zubairu, the bishop of Bari in Nigeria. She has reportedly been kidnapped alongside the diocesan secretary, Deborah.
GAFCON, a group of global conservative Anglicans, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday: "*URGENT PRAYER ALERT* It has been confirmed to the Secretariat of the Church of Nigeria that the wife of the Bishop of Bari Diocese *Mrs. Saratu Zubairu* and a Diocesan staff member *Deborah* were kidnapped this morning. Lord in your mercy #pleasepray"
On Facebook, the organisation's General Secretary, Venerable Paul Dajur, was quoted as saying: "Report has it that the kidnappers have contacted the family demanding ransom.
"Please pray and mobilise the church to pray for their safety and immediate release. Pray that the peace of God will fill their hearts and that of the families in this time of anxiety and fear. Pray that God will bring glory to His name in all that concerns them."
The Hausa Christians Foundation, representing believers who speak the Chadic language, claimed on Facebook that: "In the early hours of Tuesday morning at around 2:30am, the Christian Community of Gidan Mato Bari where the Cathedral of the Bari Anglican Diocese and the Bishop's Court are situated, encountered the unimaginable as unknown gunmen laid siege on the entire locality and kidnapped the Bishop's wife Mrs Saratu Zubairu and the Diocesan Secretary Miss Deborah.
"Despite the fact that the kidnappers forced the Diocesan Secretary to bring every cash available that was said to be in the Diocesan office, they still went ahead to abduct the two of them and are now demanding a huge ransom. This tragic incident happened when the Bishop, Right Reverend Ado Zubairu was in Jos.
"The Hausa Christians Foundation (HACFO) together with the entire members of Bari Anglican Diocese wish to call on all Christians around the world to join us in prayers for the release of these daughters of Zion so that the work of the ministry may continue to flow without any hindrances."
They add that Christians are in "perilous times" but are "certain that the God who delivered Peter, Paul, Silas and many of God's Children from prison, shall in the same way set His daughters free from the hand of these evil doers."
