This is what happens when we're asked to give advice to someone with
essentially no service experience, but we can't actually see the "device
under repair".

I don't see anything that suggests a clamp release. And I've seen products
were the cabling is, indeed, connected simply by shoving it in.

REGARDLESS... This yet another example of someone who wants a quick 'n easy
fix. Does anyone have ANY idea how removing and reseating this cable will
fix the problem? (The problem is probably a bad switch or connection in the
lens.)

I urge the owner to close up the camera, and either throw it in the trash,
or take it to an authorized service shop. And if the owner does discard the
camera, he should smash it first, so that someone cannot find it and have a
working camera for the cost of the repair.