Rev. John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Northern region and the Federal Capital Territory, has urged Nigeria’s security agencies to move beyond verbal assurances and take decisive action to rescue the recently abducted schoolchildren.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Rev. Hayab said Nigerians are tired of repeated statements and televised discussions without concrete results. He stressed that the responsibility now lies with the nation’s security institutions to restore public confidence through immediate and effective action.
Rev. Hayab also revealed the devastating emotional toll the crisis has taken on affected families. He disclosed that one of the parents of the abducted students, Mr. Anthony, died on Monday after suffering a heart attack triggered by the abduction of his three children.
“People don’t understand the trauma these families are going through,” he said. “We tried speaking to the parents today, and they were too scared to talk. Yesterday, when I spoke to church leaders, I informed them about the death, and it was heartbreaking. Imagine one man losing three children at once.”
He lamented that some misconstrue public criticism as hostility, noting that advocacy for action should not be seen as an attack on government officials. “You’re not speaking against anybody,” he said. “You are only trying to state the problem.”
Clarifying earlier reports about students returning from the school, Rev. Hayab explained that there was a misunderstanding. According to him, the attackers invaded the junior dormitory and began taking students away, prompting senior students to flee when they heard what was happening. This accounted for the lower number of senior students among those initially reported missing.
He called on the authorities to intensify rescue operations and prevent further tragedies among already traumatized families and communities.
