{"id":16456,"date":"2021-03-05T12:50:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T12:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=16456"},"modified":"2021-03-05T19:00:57","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T19:00:57","slug":"boko-haram-released-pastor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2021\/boko-haram-released-pastor\/","title":{"rendered":"Boko Haram released pastor abducted in Pemi, Nigeria, before deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Zakariya Musa, EYN Media<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pastor Bulus Yakura, who was kidnapped, on Christmas Eve at Pemi village in Chibok Local Government Area, Borno State, Nigeria, was freed on Wednesday, March 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joel S. Billi, president of Ekklesiyar Yan\u2019uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), in his morning briefing at the EYN Headquarters on Thursday shared the good news, where prayers of thanksgiving were conducted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to Yakura over the telephone today [Thursday, March 4] was heart touching. \u201cI am fine, thank you for your prayers and concern,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yakura was freed Wednesday evening by the terror group Boko Haram, security sources told the Premium Times<\/em>. \u201cOur reporter saw Mr. Yikura on the outskirts of Maiduguri as he was being conveyed to the office of the State Security Service in Borno, at about 6:15 p.m.,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, Boko Haram circulated a video where Yakura called on the government of Nigeria and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to save him. He said his abductors threatened to take his life at the end of the week. \u201cI have been given only seven days to appeal for assistance that will help me out of this torture,\u201d he said in the video. \u201cIf truly you want to rescue me from this untold suffering and threat to life, then you have to act fast. I am also calling on the EYN president to help mobilize help that will rescue me, and also pray for me so that God will make things easy for me here. Today is the last day I will have the opportunity to call on you in your capacity as my parents and relatives in the country. Anyone who has the intention should help and save me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His children refused to go to school and his wife fell ill after watching the video in which he announced the deadline set for his execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Zakariya Musa is head of EYN Media.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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