Train attack: Families beg FG to rescue 50 more in kidnappers den

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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amilies of the kidnapped victims from the Abuja-Kaduna AK-9 Train, have appealed to the Federal Government to step efforts to secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages in the hands of the terrorists.

The families said they are worried over the condition of the remaining captives, saying the 11 released by the abductors on Saturday were still hospitalized.

This was disclosed by the family members in Kaduna on Wednesday, as they addressed journalists to appreciate the Federal Government and other stakeholders’ efforts towards the rescue of the 11 of the 61 victims’ last Saturday.

Peoples Daily recalls that, terrorists on the 28th March, 2022 bombed the rail track and got the Kaduna-bound train derailed.

They shot sporadically at the train, killing nine passengers and injuring several others before whisking away 63 other passengers into the forest.

One of the victims and Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan was freed barely five days after the attack after payment of ransom, while a pregnant woman among the victims was also released after spending 45 days in the forest.

The 11 released last Saturday brought the total number of the kidnapped train passengers who have regained freedom in 13. While 50 other including women, children and a Pakistani are still in the terrorists’ captivity.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Chairman of the victims’ families in Kaduna, Dr Abdulfatah Jimoh who wife was among the freed 11, said some of the remaining 50 passengers in captivity are sick, while others are mentally unstable.

According to him, “Today being the 77th day after the abduction of our loved ones in the AK-9 Abuja-Kaduna Train, we are here to express our appreciation to God Almighty and thank Mr President, the Service Chiefs, and other Nigerians for the efforts at ensuring the release of 11 of our loved ones.

“We are also saying that, we still have 50 of our loved ones in captivity and we are praying that very soon, they will also be released and reunited with us.

“Those that were released are still reviewing treatment in the hospital, they had gone through a lot of trauma for 77 days, mental trauma, psychological trauma and mental torture. They are mentally unstable. So, they are still recuperating. We hope very soon, they will come back to their normal selves.

“Some of those still in captivity are sick according to information available to us. So, we are appealing to the Federal Government to ensure they are rescued as soon as possible.

“Even those that are not physically sick are not in good mental status, so everyone in there needs to come out as soon as possible, every one more day they spend there is a day of the trauma. We are hoping, praying and appealing that all of them are rescued in the shortest possible time,” Jimoh said.

Also one of the family members, Rakiya Lawal Othman whose sister was among the released 11 said she still has a brother among the 50 in the terrorists’ den.

She said even her sister released wept uncontrollably when she was asked by the terrorists to go, knowing that she was leaving her brother behind in the forest.

She, however appealed to the Federal Government to hasten the process of negotiation with the abductors with a view to rescuing the others as soon as possible.