The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has met with the President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja to discuss the kidnapping of over 200 school girls in Borno State. Joined by the Primate of All Nigeria Archbishop Nicholas Okoh the archbishop spoke to the press following the closed door meeting on 4 June 2014.

Archbishop Welby stated:

The bombing in Jos was deeply disheartening because I know Jos very well. I came to pray with His Excellency and express our condolence for the losses. God is faithful. In one of the letters that Paul wrote to the church, he talked about the sufferings they were going through being known throughout the world and that is certainly true here because the suffering in Nigeria is known throughout the world.

People throughout the world pray for the country. It is a country which I have profound respect and deep love for. And like many, I am deeply grieved by what is happening but God is faithful. He is always faithful to us and as Christians, in Jesus Christ we believe in His faithfulness and we can trust Him for the future.

I don’t have words to describe the good potential this country has. There is great difficulty at the moment but it is a country with such enormous potentials. I think Nigerians by nature are joyful, hopeful and vigorous, they work hard. … [Nigeria] has so much going for it. In the meeting, the President talked about the need of a solution that will reach all people, not just the security but economy, spiritual and every part of the human life.