[Video] Over 150 Abducted Zamfara Residents Beg for Rescue in TikTok Video, Appeal to Government to Negotiate With Bandits

More than 150 kidnapped residents of Zamfara State have been seen in a disturbing video posted by a notorious bandits’ leader, Ibrahim Musa, via his TikTok handle @Ibrahim.Musa99. In the footage, the victims—comprising men, women, and children—are seen pleading for their lives and urging the state government to open dialogue with their captors.

The abductees were identified as residents of several communities, including Cogon Daji, Danabuce, Kuliya, Bayawa, Magulu, and Gidan Garduwa, all located within the troubled state.

One of the victims, speaking in Hausa, lamented their abandonment by both the government and local leaders. The individual described their harsh conditions in the forest, where they are starving and living in constant fear.

“We are people from Cogon Daji, Danabuce, Kuliya, Bayawa, Magulu, Gidan Garduwa, and other areas in Zamfara State. We have been here for weeks. Our leaders are flying around with their families, while we are dying here of hunger,” the victim said.

The abductee begged the Zamfara State Government to consider their situation and initiate dialogue with the bandits. “We are suffering. We are starving. And we are human beings too,” the person added.

The video, which appears to be a strategic public relations move by the terrorists, featured claims that the gunmen are open to peace talks but feel marginalized and disrespected by authorities.

“We want to tell the Zamfara State Government that what we’ve seen here is that this insecurity is mainly due to a lack of understanding between government and these gunmen,” the victim stated.

“The bandits are saying the government looks down on them, like they don’t know anything or have any rights. But they are saying they’re ready for dialogue. In our camp alone, we are over 150 people. Other camps have over 200. Some are uncountable.”

In a separate but related incident, a terrorist operating in Kwara State has taken over the TikTok account of one of his abducted victims and is now using it to post videos from a forest hideout.

The victim, a well-known Point of Sale (POS) agent identified as Yman, was kidnapped in late June 2025 along with several others during a series of attacks across communities in Kwara North.

Since his abduction, the kidnappers have used his WhatsApp account to send disturbing updates and ransom demands to his family members. In a new development, one of the terrorists has gained access to Yman’s TikTok account and uploaded at least seven videos—some showing his face and the getaway motorcycle used during the operations.

“He has been using Yman’s phone number to call us,” a family member said. “He even used the WhatsApp line to send us a video of Yman crying and begging for help due to hunger and torture. Now, they’ve hijacked his TikTok, and the kidnapper is confidently uploading videos from their hideout,” the relative added.