Terrorists Free another Batch of 11 Abducted Train Passengers

 John Shiklam

Another batch of 11 out of the 62 passengers abducted in the March 28 attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train has been released by the terrorists.
Mr Tukur Mamud, a media consultant to Kaduna-based Islam cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, confirmed their freedom in a telephone chat yesterday in Kaduna.
Mamud, who is the publisher of a local newspaper, “Desert Herald,” has been at the forefront of negotiations for the release of the victims.
He said those released, comprised six females and five men.
He said they were freed yesterday and were taken to a military hospital in Abuja.
“Right now we are in Abuja in a military hospital with them”, he said.
Those released, according to him, include Jessy John, Amina Ba’aba Mohammed (Gamba), Rashida Yusuf Busari, Hannah Ajewole and Amina Jibril.
Others include, Najib Mohammed Daiharu, Gaius Gambo, Hassan Aliyu, Peace A. Boy and Danjuma Sa’idu.
Although Mamud did not give details of how the 11 victims were released, sources said, some of them were freed based on health grounds while others were freed as part of the agreement reached with the terrorists.
Mamud said Sheikh Gumi who worked behind the scenes made the release possible.
He was quoted in the Desert Herald newspaper as saying, “behind the scenes, Sheikh Gumi by Allah’s will, made it possible. He was involved from the day I started. I accepted that role (negotiator), 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,” the Desert Herald quoted him as saying.
According to the newspaper, it was initially expected that all the abducted women will be released in the first batch while negotiations for the release of the remaining victims will continue.
But terrorists were said to have cut down the number of women initially slated for release because the federal government demanded that those with life-threatening injuries and illnesses should be included.
When contacted, the chairman of relations of the abducted victims, Dr Abdulfatai Jimoh, said he just read the report and was expecting official confirmation from the government.
He, however, confirmed that Mamud had been involved in the negotiations for the release of the victims.
“I just read the report, we have not heard any official information from the government yet”, Jimoh said.
On March 28, 2022, terrorists attacked an Abuja-Kaduna-bound passenger train, killing eight people and abducting 63 others. Many others were wounded.
One of the abducted victims was released a few days after a ransom of N100 million was paid.
The victims had been in captivity for 75 days. With the release of the 11 people, 51 others are still in captivity.