VIDEO: How kidnappers lured me from Jos to Kaduna with fake job offer — UNIJOS graduate

What began as a promising job opportunity ended in a nightmare for John Arum Azi, a graduate of University of Jos, who says he was deceived by kidnappers posing as employers and held captive for 11 days in a forest camp in Zamfara State.

Azi shared his ordeal during a testimony at a church in Tudun Wada, Jos, on Sunday, explaining that he had travelled to Kaduna believing he was going for a welding job.

According to him, the suspected kidnappers spent days building his trust through phone conversations and discussions about welding work.

“They were the one calling me on phone that I should come and work for them. They even sent transport money,” he said.

Hoping to secure employment, Azi travelled from Jos to Zaria on April 11, unaware that he was heading into danger.

After arriving in Kaduna State, he contacted the supposed employers, who instructed him to continue the journey to a village on a motorcycle.

Although he became uncomfortable during the trip, he ignored the warning signs because he desperately needed work.

“I started having doubts, but I was like, ‘Okay, let me just go. Since I’m there already, let me just go and do the work,” he recounted.

Azi said the situation became more frightening after he was taken into a remote area where he noticed armed men waiting.

“I saw a gun I had never seen before in my life,” he said. “The man told me not to be afraid and claimed the person was a hunter, but deep down I knew something was wrong.”

The graduate said the men immediately searched him, seized his phone, bag and work tools, and forced him deeper into the forest through isolated routes leading to Zamfara State.

“We spent almost six hours moving through the bush on motorcycles. There was no security anywhere,” he recalled.

On getting to the camp, Azi said the abductors restrained him and contacted his family, demanding N30m ransom.

“I gave them my elder brother’s number. They called him and demanded N30m,” he said.

He also narrated how he was repeatedly tortured and interrogated by the kidnappers, particularly about his religion.

“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 the severe beatings eventually forced him to cry out in prayer.

“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 later nicknamed him “Pastor” throughout his time in captivity.

Azi said prayer became his only source of strength while he remained in the forest.

“The only thing I kept doing was praying and asking God to save me,” he stated.

He explained that after negotiations, the kidnappers reduced the ransom demand from N30m to N6m, but later demanded an additional N4m even after payment had been made.

“They started beating me again and said my family should add another N4m. At that point, I thought I would not survive,” he said.

The UNIJOS graduate said support from relatives, friends and sympathisers eventually helped secure his release.

He added that although he returned home traumatised, he remains grateful to be alive.

@Amaka