Eleven of the 62 passengers abducted in the March 28 attack on the Abuja- Kaduna train, have been released.
Tukur Mamud, a media consultant to Kaduna-based Islam cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, confirmed their release in a telephone chat on Saturday in Kaduna.
Mamu who is the publisher of a local newspaper, “Desert Herald” had been in the forefront for negotiations for the release of the victims.
He said those released, comprised of six females and five men.
He said they were freed on Saturday and were taken to a military hospital in Abuja.
“Right now we are in Abuja in a military hospital with them,” he said on telephone.
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 Mamu 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.
Mamu said Sheikh Gumi who worked behind the scene made the release possible.
He was quoted in the Desert Herald newspaper as saying, “behind the scene, Sheikh Gumi by Allah’s will, made it possible. “He was involved from the day I started. In fact, 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.
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/illnesses should be included.
When contacted, 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 Mamu had been involved in the negotiations of 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 few days after a ransom of N100 million was paid. A pregnant woman was also released meaning at least r9 still held.
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