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The terrorists responsible for the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna bound AK9 train have set free another set of seven passengers who have been in their custody for over 100 days.
Pulse reports that the incident, which occurred on Monday, March 28, 2022, left nine persons dead and 26 others injured as gunmen attacked the passenger train and took away victims.
Confirming the release of the latest batch of hostages, Malam Tukur Mamu, one of the negotiators and Media Consultant to the controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, said he single-handedly negotiated the successful release of “another seven victims,” The Punch.
Mamu disclosed that, even though he had resolved to recuse himself from the negotiation due to frustrations from government authorities, he bowed to tremendous pressure from notable family members of the victims to reconsider his “stand in view of the respect and confidence the abductors have in his ability to sincerely engage in dialogue.”
The seven hostages set free by the terrorists on Saturday, July 9, 2022, according to him, are Bosede Olurotimi, Abubakar Zubairu, Alhassan Sule and Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, Muhammad Dayyabu Paki, Aliyu Usman as well as only foreign national of Pakistani origin, Dr. Muhammad Abuzar Afzal.
He noted that the release of the seven additional hostages had “vindicated Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi about what the power of mediation can achieve.”
Mamu, who is also the publisher of the Kaduna-based Desert Herald newspaper, added that the seven passengers had been handed over to the military and that they were en route Kaduna.
He said, “I want to assure the nation that everything that was achieved today was singlehandedly initiated and arranged by me with the full support and prayers of my principal, Sheikh Gumi.
“That is why I keep emphasising that government has the power to end the agony of these innocent victims in one day.
“This is just one individual that sacrifices his life and even integrity. There is no military solution to the current security debacle in Nigeria.
“When you sincerely engage these guys, even though wicked with misguided religious beliefs, they are listening.
“I have sufficient evidence to show that they do listen. It is this power of engagement and sincerity that resulted in the release of these seven victims.
“In whatever I do, I don’t need or require any reward from anybody but from Allah but I hope the nation we sacrificed our lives for will recognize us.”
Pulse had earlier reported that the federal government has rejected the demands of the terrorists behind the Kaduna-Abuja train attack, thereby leaving the fate of the abducted passengers hanging in the balance.