Q092_060526 Urgent Appeal: Bandits Are Killing And Kidnapping Five Houses Away From Son And Grandson in Ekiti, Nigeria

Q092_060526 Urgent Appeal: Bandits Are Killing And Kidnapping Five Houses Away From Son And Grandson in Ekiti, Nigeria

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction and then face a very different kind of terror? This urgent episode takes a sharp turn from Colin Cook’s usual focus on Romans and addiction recovery to an immediate crisis in Ekiti, Nigeria. Colin shares, with raw honesty, the violent reality facing his spiritually adopted son Mark and 13‑year‑old grandson Ayomide. Bandits and gunmen are attacking homes just five houses away, burning properties and kidnapping adults and children for ransom.

Ayomide sends him a chilling message: “Grandad, I have seen terrible things with my eyes.” You’ll hear how schools have been shut because of kidnapping fears, how a church pastor was shot during a service, and how worshippers, including small children and an 80‑year‑old woman, were taken. Colin explains his anger at a weak and corrupt government, the pressure on ordinary Nigerians, and the painful decision for Mark and Ayomide to lock up their home and flee to Lagos.

At the same time, he ties this brutal situation to faith. The Old Testament’s prayers for God to “rout their enemies” suddenly make sense when “your house might be next”. Colin stresses that Christians are called to love their enemies, but not to pretend evil is harmless. Instead, he calls for earnest prayer, trusting “the Lord of armies” to protect his people.

This episode speaks to anyone in recovery who sometimes feels their problems are huge—then hears what others are enduring and wonders how faith fits into such horror. Colin’s appeal is simple: pray, support if you can, and remember that God is still God, even when gunshots are heard outside a child’s bedroom window. It’s sobering, heartfelt, and a reminder that sobriety, faith, and compassion don’t sit in separate boxes. They’re all tested in the fire.