Suspected Kidnapper of UNIJOS Student Named as Musa Maliya

Social media users have identified a suspected kidnapper linked to the abduction of University of Jos student John Arum Azi as Musa Maliya.

The suspect, said to be from Toro Local Government Area in Bauchi State, was named after his face was matched to footage showing one of the assailants beating the victim. Netizens made the link through side-by-side comparisons with Maliya’s TikTok videos, where he frequently flaunts a lavish lifestyle.

NaijaChoice News reports that Azi was kidnapped on Monday along the Jos-Kaduna highway while travelling to Kaduna for an electronics repair job. He was taken alongside six other victims, bringing the total to seven.

In a disturbing video sent from Azi’s own phone to his school WhatsApp group, the young man is seen on his knees pleading for help as his captors demand N30 million ransom. The clip, which has sparked widespread outrage, shows him being tortured with sticks and stones.

Authorities are yet to issue any official confirmation of Maliya’s identity or involvement. Security agencies say investigations are ongoing, even as pressure mounts for swift action to rescue the victims.

The incident has drawn sharp reactions across Nigeria, with many calling on the police and other security outfits to arrest the suspect immediately and dismantle the gang. It has also renewed fears over the safety of travellers on the volatile Jos-Kaduna route, a corridor long plagued by banditry and kidnapping.

Azi’s family, led by his widowed mother, has appealed for public support as they struggle to meet the ransom demand.

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