For a number of decades, the NAB was involved with Hillcrest School in Jos, Nigeria, in connection with our international missionary work in Cameroon and Nigeria. During those years, NAB missionary children attended the boarding school, and some NAB missionaries served at the school. While we closed Nigeria as an NAB field in 2012, it was a number of years prior to then that our relationship with Hillcrest ended.
It has come to our attention that there was alleged abuse of some children at Hillcrest School during the years when the NAB was involved in the school.
The NAB has agreed to cooperate with and participate in an investigation, and so have Hillcrest School and seven other international mission agencies with current or historical relationships with the school. The investigation officially began this week and is being funded by Hillcrest School and each of the eight cooperating international mission agencies, including the NAB. Additionally, all eight agencies are providing for victim advocacy services to survivors.
You can find out more about the ongoing investigation by visiting the Zero Abuse Project website.
We invite the entire North American Baptist Conference to pray over this entire process, particularly for the survivors of any of the alleged abuse.