April 16, 2026 | News
A student of the University of Jos, John Arum, who was abducted alongside six other passengers while travelling from Jos to Kaduna, has appeared in a disturbing video pleading for help from captivity.
The victims were reportedly intercepted along the highway by armed men and taken away during the journey. Earlier reports indicated that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom for their release.
In the latest video, Arum, visibly distressed, made an emotional appeal to his family and relatives, saying his condition in captivity was critical.
“Please help, family and relatives help. I have been kidnapped and I’m in a very critical condition here. I don’t want to die. Please, help. Please, look for money by all means to secure my release,” he said.
In the footage, one of the kidnappers is heard issuing a threat, warning that failure to meet their demands could lead to the victim’s death.
“Your relatives should try and bring some money they are able to raise, and if they can’t provide, we will do the needful,” the voice said.
The kidnappers also claimed that although the victims were abducted in Kaduna, they had been taken to a forest location in Zamfara State.
The condition of the other six abducted passengers remains unclear, and it is not yet known whether their families have been contacted or issued separate ransom demands.
Arum had earlier appeared in another video where he was subjected to torture by his captors. In that footage, he was flogged with a stick, forced to lie face-down with a heavy object placed on his back, and threatened with a rifle.
Despite pleading for mercy, the attackers continued the assault and forced him to publicly appeal for ransom.
According to reports, the kidnappers are demanding ₦30 million for his release. The video was reportedly recorded using the victim’s mobile phone and shared with his coursemates to pressure his family and associates into raising the ransom.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official confirmation on rescue efforts or the status of the remaining victims.
