By Our Reporter
A 21-year old student of Federal University Gusau, Zarah Abubakar Shehu, who was kidnapped has been killed even after the family parted with N10 million.
Zarah was abducted by bandits, along with her two siblings, in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024, from their home in the Damba area of Gusau, Zamfara State.
The kidnappers initially demanded a staggering ransom of ₦35 million for their release. After intense negotiations, the family was able to raise ₦10 million, which the bandits reluctantly agreed to accept. However, despite receiving the ransom, the criminals failed to release Zarah and her siblings. Instead, they upped their demands, requesting four motorcycles (Boza) and four cartons of engine oil.
For four agonizing months, Zarah and her siblings remained in captivity. When the requested items were finally gathered, the kidnappers’ leader was contacted to confirm the exchange. To the horror of the family, the response was chilling: only two of the children remained alive, with Zarah having tragically passed away. She had died two days earlier and was already buried by the kidnappers.
Zarah was the only daughter of her mother, making her loss even more heart-wrenching. Her untimely death underscores the brutal and unrelenting insecurity in Zamfara State, a crisis that continues to devastate countless families. The pain of losing Zarah is not just a personal tragedy but a painful reminder of the ongoing violence that plagues the region.