Zarah Abubakar Shehu, a 21-year-old student at the Federal University Gusau, has tragically passed away while in captivity, four months after being abducted along with her two siblings.
This information was shared on Sunday by Zagazola Makama, an expert in counter-insurgency with a focus on the Lake Chad region, via a post on his X account.
Zarah, who was in her third year of studies, was taken from her residence in the Damba area of Gusau during the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024, by armed assailants. 
Makama reported that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N35 million for their release, but after negotiations, they settled for N10 million.
Despite receiving the ransom, the abductors refused to release Zarah, instead insisting on the provision of four motorcycles (Boza) and four cartons of engine oil. After extensive efforts to fulfill these demands, the items were finally obtained.
However, upon informing the kidnappers’ leader, it was revealed that Zarah had already died and had been buried two days prior. She was the only daughter of her mother and endured four months of captivity before her tragic demise.
