15th February 2026

They rode in on 200 motorbikes shooting indiscriminately. Armed assailants on motorbikes killed at least 32 people and burned houses and shops during raids on three villages in north-west Nigeria’s Niger state early yesterday morning.  This is the latest of a number of recent violent attacks on people living in the area. Northern Nigeria is facing a complex security crisis as the local population fear attacks and abductions from Islamic militants and armed gangs kidnapping people for ransom. Many people are reported to be missing after the raids, raising fears that the death toll could climb further. 

Loving God, we bring to you our concerns and fears for our neighbours in northern Nigeria. How long will they have to suffer violence, abuse, abduction and the destruction of their homes and livelihoods. What gain is achieved by armed militia causing mayhem and fear? Loving God, you see the struggles, the pain, and the hopes of the people there. Protect the innocent, comfort the grieving, and strengthen those working for justice and unity. Lord, bless the people with safety, bring peace where there is unrest, and let Your light shine in places overshadowed by the darkness fear. We pray for new beginnings, the healing of divisions, compassion overcoming hate, and humanity triumphing over evil. Guide the leaders by our wisdom that northern Nigeria will soon become a place where hope rises, peace reigns, love shared and your will done, just as it is in heaven.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen. 

A Christian-based recovery programme in the English town of Stroud, run by the Salvation Army is offering a pathway to healing for those living with trauma. Christopher Button, church leader at the Salvation Army in Stroud, said: "One of the most common denominators among the people we serve has been the experience of trauma, which often leads to complex lives with negative consequences for wellbeing. This includes a significant percentage of women who have experienced domestic abuse, intimate partner violence and sexual assault. We felt called to offer a way for people to explore the long-term impact of trauma and how faith can support their reconstruction into wellbeing and health." Christopher added, "The most important message I want someone to know is that their past does not have to define who they are." Topics on the course include the physiological impact of trauma on the brain, its effect on memory and relationships, and the complex role faith can play in both harming and healing. The course is free and open to anyone in the wider Stroud community, regardless of background or belief. 

Psalm 139: 14-18 & 23 (MEV)

I praise you because you made me

in an amazing and wonderful way.

What you have done is wonderful.

 I know this very well.

You saw my bones being formed

as I took shape in my mother’s body.

When I was put together there,

you saw my body as it was formed.

All the days planned for me

were written in your book

before I was one day old.

God, your thoughts are precious to me.

They are so many!

If I could count them,

they would be more than all the grains of sand.

When I wake up,

I am still with you.

God, examine me and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.