Pastor Jerry Eze Breaks Down In Tears Over Abducted Oyo Schoolchildren, Calls For Urgent Action

SENIOR Pastor of Streams of Joy International, Abuja, Pastor Jerry Eze, became visibly emotional and broke down in tears on Sunday as he appealed for the rescue of more than 40 schoolchildren abducted from communities in Oyo State.

Speaking during the fourth service of the church’s Children’s Day celebration, anchored by the children’s ministry known as Mighty Arrows, the cleric paused festivities to address the plight of the pupils reportedly kidnapped from Esiele, Yawota and Ahoro-Dada communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State about two weeks ago.

Amid sobs, Pastor Eze told the congregation and viewers around the world that he had struggled to come to terms with the incident.

“I want to do this one more prayer with two children,” he began before recounting the emotional burden the abduction had placed on him.

“A few weeks ago, we woke up to the rude shock of some children having classes and the abductors came and took them away. Days have become weeks. I have been trying to make sense out of it, but I’ve not been able to,” he said.

The popular televangelist revealed that he had contemplated cancelling the church’s Children’s Day celebration because of the tragedy.

“The people close to me know I was at the brink of cancelling this celebration. I kept asking myself, why does it have to hold? There is probably a mother somewhere on NSPPD praying and saying, ‘God, please let my children be released.'”

Reflecting on his own role as a father, the convener of NSPPD, a global online prayer platform, said the thought of the missing children had left him deeply distressed.

“I have two children. I don’t know how I would feel if my son or daughter were somewhere in a forest and I didn’t know where they were. No one will take care of your child better than you,” he said.

He added: “Somewhere in a forest we don’t know. I don’t know what they are eating. I don’t know what they are having. Every time I think about children, I remember these children and my heart literally melts.”

The visibly sobbing pastor expressed concern not only about the children’s immediate safety but also about the psychological trauma they may endure even after regaining their freedom.

“I’m even more worried when they come out. The trauma that will hit these children, how traumatised they would be. I’m sincerely praying that God will help these children.”

Pastor Eze used the occasion to appeal directly to government officials, security agencies and anyone in positions of influence to intensify efforts towards securing the children’s release.

“Away from these children, anyone who’s a member of our church and you know you’re in a place where you can put in a word, from security agencies to government, anywhere, and you know you can accelerate this, I beg of you,” he pleaded.

“No mother deserves to live imagining where her children are. There are parents here today who saw their children on the stage, and there are mothers whose Children’s Day is their worst nightmare.”

Calling for collective action, he stressed that the plight of the children must not become normalised.

“From government to security agencies, from anywhere, these children must be helped. For whatever it is worth, these children must be helped.”

He continued: “They didn’t do anything wrong by going to school. They were in their classrooms and suddenly heard gunshots everywhere. Where would they run to?

“Which direction were they headed? And then a hand just grabs you. Questions and more questions go through my mind.”
The pastor warned against societal indifference to recurring incidents of school abductions.

“We cannot normalise this. We can’t normalise knowing that a child is somewhere in a forest and their parents do not know where they are. We can’t normalise this.”

Although he commended the children who participated in the service for exceeding expectations, he said the celebration could not be complete while other children remained in captivity.

“Yes, I’m excited. The children exceeded expectations. But how can we keep celebrating? My joy will be full when those children come out from where they are.”

Breaking down in tears as he spoke, Eze added: “It’s painful. It’s absolutely painful. This is not about anything but their lives. They deserve to live.”

The emotional appeal culminated in a special prayer session for the abducted children, as members of the congregation joined the cleric in seeking divine intervention for their safe return and healing for their families.

The abduction of the schoolchildren has continued to generate concern across Nigeria, with growing calls for intensified rescue efforts and improved security around schools, particularly in vulnerable communities.