Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
John Arum Azi, a 28-year-old graduate of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), has regained his freedom after spending 11 harrowing days in the hands of kidnappers who abducted him along the Jos–Kaduna highway, subjected him to repeated torture, and forced his family to pay a ransom of N10.3 million in multiple instalments. Azi, who studied Early Childhood Education at UNIJOS and worked as a sound system engineer and keyboard technician, was kidnapped on Saturday, April 11, 2026, while travelling from Jos, Plateau State capital, to Zaria in Kaduna State to repair musical equipment for a client. His abduction, along with six other passengers on the same route, sparked national outrage after the kidnappers recorded and circulated a disturbing video showing the young graduate being brutally assaulted while pleading for his life.
The kidnappers initially demanded N30 million for Azi’s release, a sum the family described as impossible to raise. Following negotiations, the ransom was reduced to N5 million, but the abductors continued to change their demands, forcing the family to make multiple payments. Bulus Azi, John’s eldest brother, revealed that the family paid the ransom in three instalments due to the abductors’ shifting demands. “We paid it almost three times because whenever there’s news on social media, they will increase the amount. That was what they kept doing,” Bulus told TheCable. The family first paid N6.315 million, but the kidnappers demanded an additional N4 million, bringing the total to N10.3 million. The ransom was paid on Tuesday, April 21, after which the abductors released Azi on Wednesday, April 22. The family arranged for a driver from a motor park in Kaduna to bring him back to Jos. “We looked for a driver there in a motor park. We communicated with the park, collected the driver’s number, and I transferred money to him,” Bulus said.
The ordeal began on the morning of April 11. Azi, a recent graduate awaiting National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation, had received a call from a client in Zaria requesting his services as a keyboard technician. According to his employer, Jethro Akau, Azi was a diligent and hardworking young man who specialised in the repair, servicing, and installation of musical equipment. “Later, when I tried reaching him, his phone was switched off. It was his elder brother who eventually informed me that he had been kidnapped,” Akau told reporters. Azi was abducted alongside six other passengers travelling the same route, a highway that has become notorious for kidnappings and armed attacks targeting commuters between Plateau and Kaduna states. Shortly after the abduction, the kidnappers used Azi’s mobile phone to record a video in which they brutally assaulted him. In the footage, which was widely circulated on WhatsApp, Azi was forced to kneel on the ground while his captors beat him with sticks and placed a stone on his back. A rifle was pointed at his head as he pleaded for his life. “Please help, family and relatives help. I have been kidnapped and I’m in a very critical condition here,” he said in the video. “I don’t want to die. Please, help. Please, look for money by all means to secure my release.”
The video triggered widespread outrage across Nigeria, with social media users condemning the increasing audacity of criminal gangs operating on major highways. The University of Jos Alumni Association (UJAA) expressed deep concern and called on security agencies to act swiftly. “We are deeply troubled by the news and circulating reports of a fellow Josite who has been kidnapped,” said Gad Shamaki Peter, the Global President of UJAA. “When one Josite is in distress, we all stand together.” The university management also suspended all fundraising efforts for Azi’s rescue over fears that such activities could be exploited by criminal elements. Christopher Piwuna, the Dean of Student Affairs, issued a circular confirming that the incident had been verified and reported to the relevant authorities. He warned that some of those responsible for the abduction could be monitoring fundraising efforts and might exploit the situation further.
Rumours of Azi’s death spread on social media during the ordeal, prompting the kidnappers to release a fresh video on April 20 in which Azi dispelled the rumours. In the video, he stated: “Today is April 20, 2026 and I am alive. They demanded 10 million naira for my release and 6 million have been paid, it is now remaining 4 million naira.” The kidnappers warned that further delay could lead to his death. Throughout the 11 days, the family handled negotiations independently, despite informing the police. Bulus Azi explained the family’s decision: “We cannot leave him there waiting for police. It’s between us and them. And we have to do what they say we should do to be able to save a life.” As of the time of this report, the Plateau State Police Command has not issued an official statement on the incident.
Azi’s release was confirmed on Wednesday, April 22, in a video that circulated on social media showing him alongside a man who announced his freedom. He was seen visibly weak and exhausted, clad in dirty clothes after nearly two weeks in captivity. He received some medical attention shortly after his release before beginning the journey back to Jos to reunite with his family. His employer, Jethro Akau, expressed relief at the news, describing it as a moment of thanksgiving. “This is a young man with a future, someone committed to his work and always ready to learn. It is heartbreaking to see him in such a condition,” Akau had said during the ordeal. The condition of the six other passengers abducted alongside Azi remains unclear. Efforts to reach the family for further details were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. The case has once again highlighted the deteriorating security on Nigerian highways and the heavy toll exacted on ordinary citizens by the kidnapping epidemic.
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