A disturbing new video has surfaced showing a University of Jos student, University of Jos undergraduate John Arum, pleading for his life after being abducted alongside six other passengers while travelling from Jos in Plateau State to Kaduna State.
In the emotional footage, Arum is seen in clear distress, begging his family and relatives to raise money for his release as his condition deteriorates in captivity. The video has sparked widespread concern and renewed calls for urgent action to tackle rising cases of kidnapping along Nigerian highways.
The victims were reportedly intercepted by armed men along the highway during their journey. Earlier reports indicated that the kidnappers had already demanded a ransom of ₦30 million for Arum’s release.
In the latest video, Arum makes a direct appeal for help, speaking in a weak and shaken voice.
“Please help, family and relatives help. I have been kidnapped and I’m in a very critical condition here,” he said. “I don’t want to die. Please, help. Please, look for money by all means to secure my release.”
His words, filled with fear and desperation, have drawn sympathy from Nigerians on social media, many of whom are calling for stronger security measures on major roads across the country.
The student was abducted while travelling with six other passengers, whose identities have not yet been fully confirmed. The condition and whereabouts of the remaining victims remain unknown.
In a separate part of the video, one of the kidnappers is heard speaking directly to the victims’ families, issuing a chilling warning if the ransom is not paid.
“Your relatives should try and bring some money they are able to raise, and if they can’t provide, we will do the needful (kill), because money is not only our problem,” the armed man said.
He further threatened that failure to meet their demands would result in the killing of the hostages.
“When we ask for ransom and you can’t provide, we will kill you. You know we are in Zamfara right? Tell your family we kidnapped you in Kaduna and took you to Zamfara forest,” he added.
The mention of Zamfara State highlights growing fears that many kidnapped victims are taken deep into forest hideouts across north-west Nigeria, making rescue operations more difficult for security forces.
This is not the first video to emerge from the incident. Earlier footage showed Arum being physically assaulted by his captors in what appears to be an attempt to force compliance and pressure his family.
In one of the earlier videos, the student was seen being flogged repeatedly with a large stick. At some point, the attackers placed a heavy stone on his back while forcing him to lie face-down on the ground.
A rifle was also pressed against his head during the assault, as he begged for mercy.
“Please don’t kill me… I’m begging you,” he pleaded in the video.
Despite his cries, the attackers continued the abuse. After several minutes of torture, they ordered him to speak directly to the camera and appeal for ransom payment.
In the same footage, Arum said: “We are on our way from Jos to Kaduna, and they kidnapped seven of us. Now they are demanding ₦30 million before they can release me. Please find the money and bring it.”
Reports suggest that the kidnappers recorded the video using Arum’s own mobile phone. The footage was later circulated to his coursemates through a group chat, allegedly as a way of increasing pressure on his family and the public to raise the ransom.
This method of using victims’ phones to distribute distress videos has become increasingly common among kidnapping gangs in Nigeria, especially in the north, where ransom kidnapping has become a major security concern.
As of the time of filing this report, the condition of the six other passengers abducted alongside Arum remains unknown.
It is also unclear whether their families have been contacted or whether separate ransom demands have been issued for each of them.
The lack of information has deepened anxiety among relatives and friends, who are still hoping for updates on their loved ones.
The incident adds to a growing list of kidnappings targeting travellers on highways across Nigeria.
Routes linking major northern cities, including Jos, Kaduna, Abuja, and other surrounding states, have in recent years become hotspots for armed gangs who stop vehicles and abduct passengers for ransom.
Families of victims often face difficult choices, as kidnappers demand large sums of money, sometimes running into tens of millions of naira.
The latest video has sparked outrage among Nigerians, many of whom are expressing frustration over the worsening security situation.
On social media, users have called for improved highway patrols, better intelligence gathering, and faster rescue operations.
Parents and students, especially in higher institutions, have also expressed fear over road travel, with some calling for increased security escorts for inter-state transport routes.
There are also renewed calls for the government to address the root causes of insecurity, including unemployment and poverty, which are seen as factors driving some individuals into crime.