By Ayo Alonge

AMID growing expec­tation for the freedom of the three female students of Macaulay Junior Seminary, Agun­foye Lugbusi, Ikorodu abducted last Monday, Nigerians have intensi­fied prayers for the release of the students.
Checks by Sunday Sun on social media showed that many Nigerians have been interceding on behalf of the school girls.
A group which identified itself as Nifes Unizik Lagos Alumni, in a message sent to its members on social media, rolled out a list of prayer points to be made to God by all concerned, for the release of the three girls. The focus of the marathon prayers schedule, accord­ing to the group, is to pray against the physical defile­ment of the girls.
“We all are aware of the recent kidnap situation at Babington Macaulay Col­lege where three girls were kidnapped and now the perpetrators of the das­tardly act are asking for a ransom of N300million. We believe we are still ask­ing the Lord for mercy for the safe return of the ab­ducted Chibok girls. There are so many things to pray regarding these three girls, but I want our joint focus and prayers today to be against their defilement physically.
“Thank God and thanks to everyone standing in the gap in the place of prayer for the children. The leadership of the Anglican Prelature as well as the parents and family of the children have asked the body of Christ to please join in prayers round the clock: 12midnight, 3am, 6am, 9am, 12noon, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm. I also got messages that prayer chains are being held round the clocks. A call after the order of the church’s intervention in Acts 12 has been made and we cannot but stand in the gap on this special day as instructed by God, our Father. These are their names: Olusa Oluwatimile­hin, Popo-Olaniyan Tofunmi and Akinayo Deborah,” the group said.
Another Nigerian who is sympathetic to the plight of the abducted girls, Godwi­thus Onifade, posted this one on his Facebook wall: “My prayers are with the three fe­male students kidnapped in a Secondary school in Lagos, Nigeria. May they return home unhurt. Hmmm! Which way Nigeria.”
A lawyer, Mrs. Nnenna Nwokobia, while speaking in an interview with Sunday Sun, prayed for the safety of the abducted girls, queried that the students should not have been left alone for prep at that time of the day, without adequate security measures put in place.
“To start with, I am very surprised. I heard that these kids were kidnapped around 9:30pm, and I just keep wonder­ing whether 9:30pm is not too late for students to observe prep.
“I also can’t stop wondering whether there were security op­eratives on ground that watch these students in school. I ex­press my sympathy to them and their families.
“I pray God be their strength and grant them the grace to put their strength in Him. I also want to pray for their safety,” Nwoko­bia said.
The students were abducted on Monday February 29 around 9.30 pm while reading for their examinations.