Terrorists who kidnapped passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train that was attacked on 28th March 2022 have threatened to start killing the passengers in captivity within 7 days unless their demands are met.
They want the government to release their children allegedly kept in a Yola detention facility, as well as their sponsors.
Their leaders of passed the message through a telephone conversation with the spokesman of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, Malam Tukur Mamu, ‘And Dan Iyan Fika.
Sheikh Gumi is a known sympathizer of the bandits, whom he has visited several times in their hideouts in the forests.
Nigerian Railway Corporation had planned to resume the Abuja-Kaduna service on Monday, May 23, 2022, but cancelled that plan three days to the target date. It said another date would be announced.
The terrorists in their conversation with Gumi’s aide claimed that the Federal Government suspended the resumption of the train service because of their threats,
“The government suspended the resumption of the train service indefinitely because of our threats and we repeat, if our conditions are not met, the resumption of the train service is to the detriment of the government and the passengers”.
“We don’t need money. We have a good reason for doing what we did, until our demands are met none of the victims will come out alive even if it means we all die with them. They are well taken care of as you can see from the pictures we sent to you via WhatsApp but we assure you that this will not continue”.
“We choose you (Tukur Mamu) to convey this important message to the government, the families of the victims and Nigerians in general because we believe you won’t alter our message and we have seen you severally with Sheikh Gumi in the forest, therefore, we recognized the fearlessness in you”.
The leader of the terrorists; Abu Barra said that it’s been two months since the abduction and anything can happen to the abducted passengers henceforth.
He explained their reasons for the abduction as a retaliation for the arrest and detention of their children by the security agencies.
“Our children numbering about 8 between the ages of one to seven years are currently being held at an orphanage in Jimeta, Adamawa State under the supervision of the Nigerian Army”, he said.
“The names of our children are; Abdulrahman, Bilkisu, Usman, Ibrahim and Juwairiyyah. They were forcefully taken from our wives in Nasarawa and taken to the orphanage in Yola”.
“For any continued discussion on the release of these passengers and a safe resumption of the train service, our children must be released unconditionally. Only then we will release some of the abducted victims, especially the women while other passengers will be released on a prisoner exchange with some of our arrested comrades by the government, he continued.
“Barra said they decided to come to a GSM enabled location with one of the female victims to talk to Malam Mamu and as a confirmation of their claims. Mamu said he could hear her cries with a very low voice that probably indicates exhaustion pleading with him to please talk to the government on their behalf for a swift intervention on their release.”
“If the government decided not to respond so be it. We are warning Nigerians, especially those that are patronizing the train that if this matter is not resolved peacefully, the day they decided to attack us or do anything funny, passengers or commuters should forget to use the train or follow the Abuja-Kaduna road because we will be consistent and they can’t stop us. We believe that you will deliver this message as it is”, he said.
“Therefore, we rely on you and urged you to convey this important message to everyone”, Abu Barra said.
“Time is not on our side, the government must understand that they are dealing with persons with a misguided ideology and tainted religious belief. These people are not scared of death, they seem to believe that they are martyrs when they die. It will be a serious mistake to take this threat lightly. I believe an opportunity has been created for us to explore to save the lives of those innocent victims.
“For me, if these innocent will regain their freedom because of my involvement and provided that will lead to relative peace and security on our highways and rail lines I wouldn’t mind if I die in the process. We must accept the fact that security alone on the Abuja-Kaduna victim highways remains more fragile than ever and the solution is not militarily alone, especially in a country where impending attacks can hardly be dictated and stopped”, he said.
