Terrorists have released a family of four children, father and mother abducted on a Kaduna-bound train in March this year.
The terrorists abducted the children alongside their parents and other passengers when they bombed the rail track, killing some other passengers.
The terrorists have in the past four months released a number of the different captives.
Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, who negotiated the release of some of the passengers, said in a statement on Wednesday that the children and their parents were released following prominent Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi’s intervention.
His statement read, “Disturbed by the gory videos images of four teenage children belonging to same family he saw in the last video released by the attackers of the AK9 Train, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi for the first since the abduction of the innocent passengers of that train over 4 months ago has reached out to the abductors through his Media Consultant, sent Allah’s messages to them and consistently pleaded with them to consider the release of the poor children and their innocent parents. It was learnt that the health condition of two of the teenage children has deteriorated since the flogging incident that affected their helpless father. A total of additional 7 hostages were therefore released on Wednesday.”
“The husband of the four kids is a staff of the National Assembly Commission. There was no intervention from the Commission or NASS on his behalf since the travails begun.
“This is to confirm to the world that due to Sheikh Gumi’s efforts and with the support of a serving Senator from the North, (a God fearing personality that doesn’t have any relationship with the hostages) who chose to remain anonymous that all the family of six have regained their freedom on Wednesday morning. Also released is a 60 year old woman, one Hajia Aisha Hassan who was said to have been released due to life threatening health challenges that deteriorated recently.”
He listed the names of the six family members set free to include Abubakar Idris Garba, who is the father of the four kids, his wife Maryama Abubakar Bobbo and their 10-year-old eldest son, Ibrahim Abubakar Garba.
Others hostages set free are Fatima Abubakar Garba, 7 years; Imran Abubakar Garba, 5 years old and one and a half-year-old Zainab Abubakar Garba.
Their father, Abubakar is the son of Maj Gen Idris Garba (rtd) said to be currently bed-ridden. He’s is an indigene of Niger State and a former Military Administrator of Kano and Benue States under the administration of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
The retired Army general had pleaded with government to ensure the release of his child, daughter- in-law and grandchildren.