For 52 days, two men have remained in the hands of armed captors, waiting for help that could bring them back to their families. One works as an air traffic control officer at an airport in Sokoto State, while the other earns his living through farming.
Now, both men have made desperate appeals for their freedom, calling on their families, the Nigerian government and other well-meaning Nigerians to intervene before their ordeal takes a more dangerous turn.
The captives, identified as Mujahid Ado Alkassimu and Sa’idu Abubakar, appeared in a video shared online on Sunday by conflict reporter Bakatsine.
Speaking in Hausa, they recounted how a journey from Sokoto to Kano, which was meant to be a visit to their families, ended in abduction along a highway in the North-West.
According to their accounts, armed men intercepted them along the road linking Gusau, Tsafe and Funtua. Although their descriptions pointed to slightly different locations along the route, both men said they were travelling towards Kano when they fell into the hands of their captors.
The footage also captured one of the armed men questioning the victims about their identities, hometowns and occupations as they pleaded for urgent assistance.
For Alkassimu, the situation is particularly distressing because of the life and responsibilities he left behind.
Identifying himself in the recording, he explained that although he comes from Kano, his work takes him to Sokoto, where he serves as an air traffic control officer and also works as a teacher.
He said he had set out from Sokoto to visit his family in Kano when the armed men seized him between Tsafe and Funtua.
By the time he made the appeal, he said he had spent 52 days in captivity.
Alkassimu then turned his attention to those he hopes can influence his release, particularly his family, his employer and the Federal Government.
He called on them to take urgent steps to secure his freedom, stressing that he was depending on their intervention to return home safely.
During the interrogation, one of the captors asked him to identify the organisation where he worked. Alkassimu responded that he was an Air Traffic Control Officer at the Sokoto airport.
He repeated that he had been travelling to Kano for a family visit when he was abducted along the Gusau–Funtua route.
His appeal was directed not only at his relatives but also at the agency responsible for his employment and the authorities capable of intervening in the situation.
He urged them to remain patient while doing everything possible to save his life and bring his captivity to an end.
The second victim, Sa’idu Abubakar, also used the recording to explain his circumstances and appeal for assistance.
Abubakar identified himself as a farmer living in Sokoto State. Like Alkassimu, he said he was on his way to Kano when they encountered the armed men between Gusau and Tsafe.
He called on his relatives, friends and other compassionate Nigerians to help secure their release, specifically appealing to the Sokoto State Government to intervene.
For the two men, the video offered an opportunity to reach people outside the control of their captors and draw attention to their prolonged ordeal.
However, their public appeals also highlight the uncertainty facing their families as they wait for news of their loved ones.
Their abduction comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity across Nigeria’s North-West, where armed groups continue to pose a threat to travellers and communities through attacks and kidnappings along major roads.
The circumstances surrounding the men’s captivity have renewed attention on the dangers faced by people travelling through the region.
For now, Alkassimu and Abubakar are appealing for urgent intervention, with the air traffic control officer directing a particular plea to his employer and the Federal Government, while the farmer has called on his family, friends and the Sokoto State Government.
Both men are hoping that their message will reach those capable of helping them regain their freedom after more than seven weeks in captivity.
(Source: SaharaReporters)
