•Terrorists release new photos of over 62 kidnapped passengers
•Insist on freedom for apprehended commanders
Emmanuel Addeh
One of the two pregnant women among the passengers kidnapped during last month’s attack on a Kaduna-bound train by terrorists has been delivered of a baby, THISDAY learnt last night.
Also, the terrorists who attacked and abducted the passengers have released four different pictures of their victims, numbering 62.
The gunmen had on March 28 ambushed the train heading for Kaduna from the nation’s capital city after bombing its rail track.
ARISE Television, THISDAY’s broadcast arm, quoted the gang as insisting that they were not after a ransom, but an exchange of the abducted passengers with their commanders who are allegedly in government custody.
Nine persons, including a young medical doctor were killed during the attack, scores were injured and over 62 other passengers kidnapped.
The TV station further quoted a family source as confirming that one of the two pregnant women among the kidnapped victims, had given birth in the terrorists’ den with the help of doctors invited by the gang.
Sources said the terrorists are organised and coordinated because of the way the were able to get medical supplies into the forest, a development they described as still shocking to both government and security operatives.
Four photos released by the terrorists and sighted by THISDAY showed the kidnapped victims in four groups, the first showing 23 persons including five children and 18 women.
In the second image, 17 men, including a man who looked like an Indian were seen, while the third photograph showed six of the victims in sitting position, with a bandage wrapped in one of the victim’s right leg. The fourth image depicted another group of 16 men in a sitting position.
Recall that the terrorists had released a video about a week after the attack, showing the moment they were about to release the Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan to his family.
THISDAY further gathered that the families of the kidnapped victims have also written the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Munguno (rtd), demanding a status report on the state of their loved ones.
In the letter dated 25 April and jointly signed by Aliyu Mahmood, Idayat Yusuf, Aminu Othman and Dr. Baaba Muhammed on behalf of the victims’ families, they lamented that they had been left in the dark by the authorities.
“We, the families of victims of the Nigerian Railway Corporation train attack Ak9 departing from Abuja on 28th of March 2022 to Rigasa Kaduna have come together on behalf of the victims that are in captivity.
“We write to express our concern that there is no representation from government to communicate with us on the status of our loved ones . Even though we know the information may be of confidential nature, but nonetheless, families need to be reassured and be carried along in a safe manner to ensure their release from captivity safely.
“We humbly request for your facilitation to ensure that the federal government is in touch with the victims families. Thanking you in anticipation,” the letter read.
However, the pregnant women among the kidnapped train passengers was quoted by a family source, according to Arise, as having given birth at the weekend.
The woman who was reportedly eight months pregnant at the time of the attack, gave birth safely after the terrorists were said to have invited the medical personnel to attend to her. The state of health of the baby is however unknown.
“According to reports by family sources, she gave birth with the aid of doctors brought in by the terrorists. We can also report that the terrorists are demanding the release of their top commanders in exchange for the abducted train passengers.
“According to sources, the terrorists are Kanuri speaking, suggesting that were from the North-east region and backed by the deadly Islamic state group- ISWAP,” the Arise report noted.
But the report stated that the government was apprehensive that the detainees who have strong ties with Boko Haram, if released, could cause a bigger security threat to the nation.
The families of the kidnapped victims are expected to hold a press conference today in Abuja and Kaduna to further mount pressure on the government to rescue their loved ones in captivity.
A security expert, Abubakar Ahmed, was quoted as saying that the subliminal message inherent in the release of the pictures, explained that, “They want to tell the world that the abducted passengers are alive and in good condition.”
A family source added: “What kind of country are we living in? There doesn’t seem to be anything in the news. Is the government even doing anything about it or terrorism is now part of our norms and culture?
“Sonny Okosun’s which way Nigeria was 1984. Almost 40 years later, we are still asking the same question.”
Another family member of one of the victims, claimed that they had been disturbed since the photos emerged, stressing that: “We have been praying for him and others day and night.”
THISDAY further learnt that some of the elderly victims had complained about their deteriorating health conditions.
The Kaduna State government had recently approved the disbursement of N18 million to families of nine persons killed in the attack, saying it wasn’t compensation but some kind of support.
The Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), Mr. Muhammed Mukaddas, had explained that the governor had equally approved the disbursement of N250, 000 each to 22 persons severely wounded during the train attack.
