A graduate of University of Jos, John Arum Azi, has recounted how suspected kidnappers allegedly deceived him with a fake welding job offer before abducting him and taking him into forests in Zamfara State.
Azi shared his experience during a church testimony in the Tudun Wada area of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, after spending 11 days in captivity.
According to him, the suspected kidnappers repeatedly contacted him with promises of welding work and even sent transport money to convince him the offer was genuine.
“They kept calling me and promising me work. They even paid for my transport, so I believed it was real,” he said.
The graduate explained that he travelled from Jos to Zaria in Kaduna State on April 11, 2026, hoping to secure employment. After arriving, he was instructed to board a motorcycle heading to a village.
Although he became suspicious during the trip, he ignored the signs because he desperately needed a job.
“I started feeling uncomfortable during the journey, but I convinced myself it was a genuine opportunity,” he recalled.
Azi said that after reaching the village, a man claiming to be the employer took him deeper into a forest where another armed man was waiting.
“I saw a type of gun I had never seen before. That was when I realised something was wrong,” he said.
He alleged that the abductors searched him, collected his belongings and later transported him through isolated forest routes from Kaduna into Zamfara State.
According to him, the kidnappers tied him up and demanded a ransom of N30 million from his family.
The victim also narrated that he was repeatedly tortured and questioned while in captivity. He said fear initially made him deny being a Christian after hearing gunshots around the camp.
However, he eventually revealed his faith while being beaten.
“While they were beating me, I shouted ‘Jesus,’ and that was when they realised I was a Christian,” he said.
Azi said the kidnappers later nicknamed him “Pastor” throughout his stay in captivity.
He added that after negotiations, the ransom was reduced from N30 million to N6 million, though the abductors later demanded an additional N4 million before his eventual release.
The graduate said support from family members, friends and sympathisers eventually secured his freedom after 11 days in captivity.
