A disturbing video circulating on social media has drawn renewed attention to Nigeria’s worsening kidnapping crisis, as a young man identified as John Arum Azi is seen pleading for help after being abducted along the Kaduna route, highlighting persistent security challenges across parts of the country.
According to him, he was travelling to Kaduna when he was kidnapped alongside six other individuals, bringing the total number of victims to seven.
The video, said to have been posted on Facebook by one of his course mates, was allegedly shared using Azi’s own phone after the kidnappers forced him to record a message to his family and the public. In the footage, he appears visibly distressed as he appeals for financial assistance to secure his release.
The abductors initially demanded a ransom of N30 million, threatening to kill him when he told them he could not afford the payment.
There is persistent insecurity across parts of northern Nigeria, particularly in the North-West region, where kidnapping for ransom has become widespread, with criminal groups exploiting porous rural areas and major transit routes.
States such as Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Niger, and Kogi have continued to record frequent abductions, with criminal groups targeting travellers, rural communities, and students, a pattern that has intensified over the past decade despite ongoing military and law enforcement operations.
Despite repeated assurances from security agencies that efforts are being intensified to tackle the menace, incidents like this continue to raise concerns among citizens over safety on major highways and the effectiveness of current security measures.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on Azi’s abduction at the time of filing this report, even as the victim remains in captivity.
