Abducted Kaduna Family Begs For Help as Bandits Demand N300m Ransom

A video has emerged showing an abducted man, Ahmed Abubakar Zakka, holding his six-month-old baby while pleading for help from the public as a gunman points a firearm at him.

Zakka, who was abducted alongside his wife and infant daughter by bandits in Millennium City, Kaduna State, said his captors were demanding N300m ransom for their release.

In the 40-second video circulating on social media, the victim was seen holding the crying baby, with his wife beside him, pleading for mercy and assistance.

Speaking in Hausa in a low voice, Zakka identified himself and appealed to Nigerians to help secure their freedom.

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“My name is Ahmed Abubakar Zakka. I’m seeking assistance. I was abducted on Monday around 11:30pm, myself, wife and our daughter at Millennium City.

“Please, we are seeking for assistance because they are demanding N300 million. In the name of God, we are seeking for assistance,” he said.

The video showed the father holding the unclothed baby as she cried, while his wife’s voice could be heard pleading for their lives.

The family was abducted on October 6, 2026 when bandits attacked Alrahus Estate in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Daily Trust had reported that the attackers stormed the estate at about 11:30pm and moved from house to house in search of victims.

The gunmen reportedly abducted Zakka, his wife and their six-month-old daughter after breaking into a neighbouring house.

They also abducted a pregnant woman, whose husband, Abdulladir Bello, was away in Abuja at the time of the incident.

Bello had said his wife called him around 11:30pm to inform him that some people were attempting to force their way into their compound.

He said he tried contacting the police but could not get through before reaching out to the military, which deployed personnel to the area.

Bello later confirmed that the attackers had taken his pregnant wife and said the abductors contacted him to demand ransom.

The latest incident has renewed concerns over repeated attacks and abductions in Millennium City and neighbouring communities on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis.

Barely five days before the attack, bandits reportedly killed a man identified as Sikiru and abducted his wife and son alongside six other people in the PW Babban Saura area.

The wife Hafsat Sikiru and her 14 year old Son Abdulsalam Sikiru are still in captivity with the bandits demanding for huge ransom beyond the families reaach.

Reacting to the video on Monday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called on security agencies to act swiftly to rescue Zakka, his wife, their baby and other Nigerians still being held captive.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a post on his Facebook page described the video as a painful reminder of the insecurity threatening lives and tearing families apart across the country.

“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. I urge the relevant security agencies to act swiftly and decisively to secure the safe release of Ahmed Zakka, his wife, their child and every other Nigerian still held in captivity,” he said.

The former vice president said the incident had compounded the hardship faced by Nigerians struggling with the rising cost of living.

“This tragedy comes as families are already struggling with the crushing cost of living. Nigerians are battling the rising cost of food, transport and other essentials; they should not also have to live in fear of being abducted in their homes or on the roads. Insecurity deepens hardship, disrupts livelihoods and leaves families bearing both emotional and financial burdens they can scarcely afford,” he said.

Atiku urged the government to move beyond assurances and take sustained action to rescue abducted persons, protect vulnerable communities and dismantle criminal networks.

“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. Every Nigerian deserves to live, work and raise a family without the constant fear of violence,” he said.

He expressed sympathy with the Zakka family and others whose relatives remained in captivity, stressing that the protection of citizens must remain a priority.

“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 added.