Families of some abductees on the Abuja-Kaduna train on Friday warned that they would resist any attempt to resume services on the route without rescuing their loved ones.
They also lashed out at the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, for declaring for president days after the train attack, saying he was insensitive to the plight of the people and should resign.
The relations had earlier on Tuesday issued a 72 hour ultimatum to the federal government to ensure the release of the victims or be allowed to negotiate with the terrorists.
Addressing a news conference o Friday in Kaduna, leader of the families of the kidnapped victims, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh
said after the expiration of the 72-hour-ultimatum, the federal government informed Nigerians that it started discussing with the terrorists.
He appealed to the government to speed up the negotiations, saying the families of the victims had been in trauma since the incident and urged the government to act fast.
Jimoh warned the NRC against the proposed resumption of train services without first rescuing the kidnapped victims.
He warned that the families of the abducted persons would not take it lightly with the NRC if they go ahead to resume operations when their relations are still in captivity.
“Because human lives are involved, we believe they will not do that. We believe they won’t because they know what is at stake,”Jimoh said.
Also speaking, Fatima Ciroma, whose sister is among those in captivity called for the resignation of Amaechi.
Dr. Abdulkarim Atta, who also has two captives with the terrorists, said they had contacted him 11 times, telling him that “they have their targets” in the in ill-fated train.
He added that the terrorist told him that it was unfortunate that other people were taken away by them.
Atta, whose 85 year old mother and sister are among those kidnapped, explained that he was given the opportunity by the bandits to talk to his aged mother and sister before the release of the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan.
He said further that in the course of his discussions with them during the phone call, the terrorists told him that the state governor, (Nasir El-Rufai) had been running his mouth and that was why they came to his doorstep.
According to Atta, the terrorists said the train attack was just the beginning and that they would go further than this.
THISDAY
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