A distressing video showing a young student, Maryam, in tears while pleading for help from captivity has stirred outrage across Nigeria, once again spotlighting the deepening insecurity in the country’s northwest.
Maryam was reportedly abducted about a month ago while travelling from Zamfara State to Sokoto State to resume her studies. Friends say she had simply set out to continue her education when armed men intercepted her journey.
The video, shared by her friend Aysha Almustapha, shows Maryam and another female victim visibly shaken and crying as they appeal for urgent assistance. Their captors are said to be demanding a ransom of N5 million (approximately $3,000) for their release. Islamic cleric Sheikh Bello Nasir Mohammed confirmed the ransom demand and disclosed that efforts are ongoing to secure the victims’ freedom.
For Aysha, the past month has been agonising. “My friend Maryam has been in captivity for the past one month. Her only sin was travelling to go to school,” she wrote in a post that has since been widely circulated. “It really pains me how banditry has been normalised and human beings are being priced like animals.”
Maryam’s ordeal has resonated with thousands of Nigerians who say her story reflects a broader crisis. Over the years, the northwest has witnessed an escalation in armed banditry, with criminal groups launching attacks on villages, highways and schools, often retreating into forest enclaves after operations. Kidnappings for ransom have become disturbingly frequent, targeting students, commuters and rural residents alike.
The emergence of the video coincides with reports of another deadly assault in Zamfara. Last Thursday, gunmen reportedly attacked Dutsin Dan Ajiya village, killing between 30 and 50 people and abducting several others. Survivors described fleeing into nearby bushes as homes were invaded and gunfire rang out.
Public frustration has increasingly been directed at the administration of President Bola Tinubu, with critics arguing that despite repeated military operations, communities remain vulnerable. While security forces have conducted offensives against suspected bandit camps, many residents say the attacks persist with alarming regularity.
On social media, reactions to Maryam’s video have ranged from sorrow to anger. Abdool Moh (@abdool_moh) criticised what he called a double standard in law enforcement. He noted that armed groups have openly circulated videos online, sometimes even showcasing weapons and ransom proceeds, yet arrests appear rare. Meanwhile, he claimed, activists calling for accountability are swiftly tracked and detained.
Activist Rinu Oduala also condemned what she described as the continued vulnerability of women and girls in conflict-affected areas, calling the situation a reflection of governance failures.
Others shared personal anxieties tied to the dangerous Zamfara–Sokoto route. Salahu (@salahudeen33) revealed that a friend, Kenneth Allahmagani, was recently kidnapped along the same corridor, with kidnappers likewise demanding N5 million for his release. “The situation is getting worse every day,” he wrote, praying for the safe return of all captives.
IamAbdul_ (@MyAbdool) described feeling constant unease whenever acquaintances travel that road, saying relief only comes when they safely reach their destination. Jadwah (@_AyshaMaigiwa) expressed disbelief that kidnappers can allegedly post videos online without being tracked, calling the situation “so disheartening.”
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