Terrorists have paraded two young women abducted over a month ago in a disturbing video.
The victims, who appeared visibly traumatised, exhausted and unkempt, were seen in the footage crying and pleading with the public and authorities to secure their freedom.
Mrs Aisha Al-Mustapha, a teacher who posted the video on X, identified one of the young women as Maryam and her friend.
She disclosed that one of the women was abducted while travelling from Zamfara State to Sokoto State to resume school.
In the video, the two women looked distressed, their clothes dirty and faces swollen from prolonged hardship in captivity. They repeatedly cried out, “Please help us. Help us out,” as they struggled to contain their emotions.
At one point in the footage, one of the armed men, speaking in Hausa, was heard taunting the captives, asking them why they could not speak louder to describe their situation.
The bandit’s voice could be heard in the background as he appeared to coerce the women into addressing the camera.
The circumstances surrounding their abduction remain unclear, however, the victims have reportedly been held for over a month in the custody of the criminals who have continued to operate across forested areas straddling Zamfara and Sokoto states.
In her post, Mrs Al-Mustapha lamented the prolonged captivity of her friend and decried the state of insecurity in the region.
“My friend Maryam has been in captivity for the past one month. Her only sin was travelling to go to school from Zamfara to Sokoto,” she said.
“It really pains me how banditry has been normalised and human beings are being priced like animals.”
Aisha’s statement reflects growing frustration among residents of northern Nigeria, where cases of kidnapping for ransom have become frequent, with students, commuters and rural dwellers often targeted by heavily armed groups.
The North-West region, particularly Zamfara and Sokoto states, has witnessed a surge in banditry, mass abductions and attacks on communities in recent years.
Despite repeated assurances from security agencies and government officials, residents continue to face daily threats from criminal gangs who operate with relative impunity.
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