A Nigerian woman has shared a heartbreaking account of how kidnappers allegedly shot and killed her 66-year-old mother while they were both being held captive in a forest by armed abductors.
The emotional testimony, shared in a video circulating on social media, has sparked outrage and renewed concerns over the worsening security situation across the country.
According to the woman, she was abducted alongside her mother and a personal assistant on May 9 after gunmen invaded their location and forcibly took them into the bush.
Recounting the ordeal, she said the victims were forced to trek for long distances through the night while their captors moved them deeper into the forest.
“They carried us from my mum’s house, me, my mum and my assistant. They carried us straight into the bush. We trekked and trekked all night. During the daytime, they would make us rest, but at night we kept walking until we entered the forest,” she said.
The woman explained that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦200 million and allegedly subjected captives to repeated torture whenever their families failed to meet the demand.
She further revealed that several other kidnapped families were brought into the camp during their captivity as the abductors continued relocating their victims from one location to another.
According to her, tragedy struck on May 15 when the kidnappers allegedly separated her mother, another female captive and a teenage boy from the rest of the victims after asking them their ages.
She claimed the abductors debated whether to spare or kill them before gunshots suddenly rang out.
“They argued about whether to kill them or not. Before we knew it, they shot. The bullet passed through the other woman and hit my mum. We were watching everything happen. I could still hear my mummy praying before she finally gave up,” she said.
The grieving daughter described the incident as the most traumatic experience of her life, saying she was forced to witness her mother’s final moments without being able to help her.
She disclosed that the remaining captives were eventually released after family members reportedly paid ₦11 million and supplied food items and other materials allegedly demanded by the kidnappers.
The video has generated widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing sympathy for the victim and her family while calling for stronger action against kidnapping and violent crimes.
The incident adds to growing concerns over insecurity in several parts of the country, where kidnappings for ransom continue to affect families, communities and businesses despite ongoing security operations by law enforcement agencies.
Many Nigerians have renewed calls for tougher measures against criminal gangs and improved protection for vulnerable communities following the woman’s emotional account.
