…after two months in captivity
Eleven victims of the terrorists’ attack on the Abuja-Kaduna bound AK9 train on March, 28, were, on Saturday, released from captivity after almost three months.
The 11 released victims were part of the remaining 6 train passengers by the terrorists.
Alhaji Tukur Mamu, the negotiator and media consultant to controversial cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, disclosed that they were set free by the terrorists on Saturday.
Recall that the bandits had recently threatened to commence the killing of the abducted passengers if Federal Government failed to unconditionally release their children detained in an orphanage run by the Nigerian Army in Adamawa State as well as their detained colleagues.
The terrorists later rescinded their threat.
But Mamu, in the latest edition of Kaduna-based Desert Herald newspaper, confirmed that contrary to “earlier commitment to release all the women in their custody, a total number of 11 victims were released on Saturday 11th June, 2022. They include six females and five males.”
The names of the 11 victims the terrorists set free include Jessy John, Amina Ba’aba Mohammed (Gamba), Rashida Yusuf Busari, Hannah Ajewole and Amina Jibril, Najib Mohammed Daiharu, Gaius Gambo, Hassan Aliyu, Peace A. Boy and Danjuma Sa’idu.
The released victims have, however, been flown to Abuja on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari
for medical evaluation and treatment before reuniting them with their families.
Quoting a reliable source, Desert Herald stated that the men were released on health grounds as part of the request made by the negotiating team while “the women who are among the vulnerable are part of the agreement reached with the abductors.”
The negotiator, who is also the publisher of the newspaper said, “We have succeeded in building confidence now. We will do everything to sustain it in the interest of the innocent victims that are still in captivity.
“It’s a painful and frustrating process but it must be done if we are to secure the precious lives of the remaining victims.
“The good news is our collective efforts have succeeded in securing the release of 11 of the victims so far. With the continued support of the FG all the remaining victims will be released soon Insha Allah.
“President Buhari must be commended for understanding the gravity of the crisis and for giving directives to the security agencies. The CDS, Gen. Irabor has done excellently well under the circumstances. The Army and the DSS have played a crucial role. There is no military solution to this predicament.
“But behind the scene, Sheikh Gumi by Allah’s will made it possible. He was involved from the day I started. In fact, I accepted that role because of his directives to that effect. Even the final arrangement of how and the safest place to get the victims was arranged and coordinated by him.”
On the demands of the terrorists for their children’s release, Mamu, who is also the Dan-Iyan Fika, said, “It is the government that is supposed to respond to that question.”
“The urgent priority now for the government and us is how to safely secure the release of the remaining victims,” he added.