Ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar alongside former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani have expressed outrage over a circulating video depicting an armed criminal threatening an abducted couple and their baby in Kaduna State, while pressing security forces to secure their immediate freedom.
Atiku described the footage involving Ahmed Zakka, reportedly abducted alongside his wife and baby, as a painful reminder of the insecurity threatening lives and families across Nigeria.
In a statement posted on his official X account, the former vice-president said no Nigerian should have to plead for their life or the safety of their family in the hands of criminals.
“The thought of an infant caught in this ordeal is especially heartbreaking,” Atiku said.
He urged security agencies to act swiftly to secure the release of Zakka, his wife, their child and other Nigerians still being held captive.
Atiku also linked the security crisis to the economic hardship confronting households, saying Nigerians should not have to contend with both the rising cost of living and the fear of abduction.
He said insecurity deepened hardship, disrupted livelihoods and imposed emotional and financial burdens on families already struggling with the cost of food, transport and other essentials.
“The government must move beyond assurances and deliver an effective, sustained response: rescue those in captivity, protect vulnerable communities and dismantle the networks responsible for these crimes,” he said.
Atiku added that every Nigerian deserved to live, work and raise a family without the constant fear of violence.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the Zakka family and all families enduring the trauma of kidnapping. The protection of every Nigerian life must remain an overriding responsibility of government,” he said.
Shehu Sani raises concern over political exploitation
In a separate reaction, Sani described the video as “tragic, unfortunate and condemnable”, while questioning the circumstances surrounding its circulation and the alleged ransom demand.
“The curious thing about this short video is the Bandit hiding and demanding N300million from a poor family of three and posting it on social media,” the former senator said.
Sani warned that kidnapping footage could increasingly be used to generate public outrage and sympathy for political purposes.
“The exploitation of Kidnapping and the weaponisation of banditry for political ends through footages like that are likely to be more frequent these days,” he said.
He added: “The aim is to trigger outrage, evoke sympathy to attract political support.”
Sani argued that the alleged political exploitation of banditry could make the fight against insecurity more difficult.
“It’s easier to defeat banditry than overcome politically induced banditry,” he said.
The former lawmaker recalled previous mass abductions in Kaduna State, including the kidnappings of students from Greenfield University, the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation and Bethel Baptist High School.
He also acknowledged what he described as an improvement in security in Kaduna under the state government, but called on security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the latest victims.
The reactions have renewed calls for urgent action to protect vulnerable communities and secure the release of Nigerians held by kidnappers.
What You Should Know
A distressing video has surfaced online showing a kidnapped couple and their infant child being threatened by armed bandits in Kaduna State, demanding a massive ransom. This incident has drawn sharp condemnation from prominent political figures like Atiku Abubakar and Shehu Sani, who are pressing security agencies to act fast and rescue the family.
- Positive Impact: High-profile attention on the incident increases pressure on security forces to prioritize rescue efforts and can lead to broader policy improvements in tackling rural banditry.
- Potential Concerns: The situation highlights the worsening intersection of economic hardship and violent crime, raising fears that kidnappings are increasingly being weaponized for political sympathy or outrage, which complicates anti-banditry operations.
