A graduate of the University of Jos, John Arum Azi, has recounted his traumatic experience after spending 11 days in captivity following a fake job offer that allegedly lured him into the hands of kidnappers in Zamfara State.
Azi narrated his ordeal during a testimony at a church in Tudun Wada, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Sunday.
According to him, he was abducted on April 11, 2026, shortly after travelling from Jos to Zaria, Kaduna State, for what he believed was a legitimate welding job opportunity.
He explained that the suspected kidnappers had persistently contacted him by phone, offering him welding work and even sending him transport fare to convince him the offer was genuine.
“They kept calling me, asking me to come and work for them. They even sent transport money, so I believed it was a real job,” he said.
Azi said after arriving in Zaria, he contacted the individuals, who instructed him to board a motorcycle heading to a village.
Although he became suspicious during the journey, he ignored the warning signs because he desperately needed work.
“I started having doubts, but I told myself maybe it was a connection that could help me. I did not know they were kidnappers,” he said.
According to him, moments after arriving at the village, a man approached him claiming to be the person who had contacted him about the job.
He said he was then taken on a motorcycle into a remote forest where he noticed another heavily armed man waiting for them.
“I saw a gun I had never seen before in my life. The man told me not to be afraid and claimed the person was a hunter, but deep down I knew something was wrong,” he recounted.
Azi said he was immediately forced to kneel while the kidnappers searched him, seized his phone, bag and work tools, and handed him strange clothes and a face mask to wear.
He added that the abductors later moved him from Kaduna through Giwa Local Government Area into Zamfara State after several hours of travelling on motorcycles through forests and isolated routes.
“We spent almost six hours moving through the bush on motorcycles. There was no security anywhere,” he said.
According to him, upon arriving at the camp, the kidnappers tied his hands and legs before contacting his family and demanding a ransom of N30m.
“I gave them my elder brother’s number. They called him and demanded N30m,” he said.
Azi further narrated how he was repeatedly tortured and interrogated about his religion while in captivity.
“They were shooting guns everywhere and asking questions. Out of fear, I initially denied being a Christian because I thought they would kill me,” he said.
However, he said severe beatings by the abductors eventually forced him to confess his faith.
“While they were beating me, I suddenly shouted ‘Jesus.’ That was when they discovered I was a Christian,” he added.
According to him, the kidnappers thereafter nicknamed him “Pastor” throughout his stay in captivity.
Azi said constant prayers and faith in God kept him alive during the ordeal.
“The only thing I kept doing was praying and asking God to save me,” he said.
He explained that after negotiations, the kidnappers reduced the ransom demand from N30m to N6m.
However, even after receiving the money, the abductors allegedly delayed his release and demanded an additional N4m.
“They started beating me again and said my family should add another N4m. At that point, I thought I would not survive,” he said.
According to him, support from relatives, friends and sympathisers eventually secured his freedom after several days in captivity.
The UNIJOS graduate said he returned home traumatised but grateful to be alive.
