A University of Jos student, John Arum Azi, who spent about two weeks in captivity arrived Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Wednesday at about 10pm, after regaining his freedom.
The victim was abducted while travelling to Kaduna from Jos. A video of him being tortured by his captors generated reactions across the country and beyond.
His abductors later moved Azi from Kaduna to Zamfara, prompting rumours that he had been killed.
A short video on Tuesday circulated online showing that he had been released and was in the company of someone who appeared to be his relative.
His elder brother, Bulus, confirmed that he has been reunited with the family and has been admitted to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for treatment.
Bulus said Azi told the family upon arrival that he was not abducted on his way to Kaduna as widely reported, but in Zaria, where he had gone for a job.
According to him, “Azi had already arrived in Zaria and was on his way to meet his contact for the job he went for when he was kidnapped and taken into the bush.”
Bulus, while narrating how Azi was released, stated that their family had been in touch with the kidnappers since the victim was kidnapped, saying that they were always sendingmoney to them for recharge cards upon their request.
Sometimes, he explained that they would tell them that they are sick themselves and that they should send money for their drugs, stressing that they kept negotiating the ransom, which they had earlier agreed to be N6 million.
He noted that when the kidnappers saw the crowdfunding activities online, they increased the ransom to N15 million, pointing out that they appealed to them, and eventually settled at N10,315,000, and that was what they eventually paid the kidnappers.
Azi and another abductee, he explained were transported on motorcycles from Zamfara to Zaria, with an armed member of the abductors following behind upon payment of the ransom.
Upon arriving in Zaria, Bulus also explained the other abductee — a Muslim boy from Toro in Bauchi State — contacted a relative, who rushed them to a hospital where they were immediately given drips.
He explained that after the initial Zaria treatment, they then chartered a vehicle from Jos to Zaria to bring him back, saying that Azi arrived on Thursday night at about 10pm, and was rushed to JUTH for proper treatment.
He lamented that all Azi’s body has stripes from the flogging he received from the kidnappers.
Asked whether security agencies or government officials were in contact with them during the incident, he further explained that they reported the matter to the police when the video first surfaced, and that the DSS also contacted them at the initial stage.
However, after Azi was released, he said the police only reached out after seeing the video online and offered to assist in escorting them home, but arrived after the family had already picked him up and taken him to JUTH.
