A heartbreaking tragedy has unfolded in Zamfara, where 21-year-old Zarah Abubakar Shehu, a student at Federal University Gusau, lost her life in captivity after enduring four months as a hostage alongside her two siblings.
Zarah was abducted from her home in the Damba area of Gusau in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024, by suspected armed bandits. Her captors initially demanded ₦35 million for her release but later reduced the ransom to ₦10 million.
Despite receiving the payment, the kidnappers refused to let her go, making additional demands for four motorcycles and four cartons of engine oil. Her family desperately tried to gather the requested items, hoping to secure her freedom.
When they finally met the new demands and contacted the gang leader, they were met with devastating news—Zarah had already passed away and had been buried two days earlier.
The 300-level student, who was her mother’s only daughter, spent her final months in captivity before her untimely and tragic death.
