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By Chinelo Obogo and Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Former governor of old Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar (retd), has appealed to the Federal Government to immediately facilitate the release of persons kidnapped after a Kaduna-bound train was attacked by gunmen on March 28.
Umar spoke against the backdrop of pictures of distraught victims which surfaced online on Tuesday.
In a statement, yesterday, he appealed to the international community to assist in the negotiations for the release of the victims.
“Pictures of the hostages abducted in the 28 March Abuja- Kaduna train attack are trending in the social media. The pictures, to say the least, are most disturbing, particularly as they show exhausted and frightened women and children under the most harrowing conditions. I appeal to the Federal government to do more to secure the immediate release of these innocent victims. I also appeal to the international community, particularly the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to assist in the negotiations which will be needed to effect that release. May God touch the hearts of the kidnappers to show mercy on these innocent and vulnerable victims, Amen,” he said.
New pictures of victims abducted when bandits attacked a Kaduna-bound train on March 28 surfaced online yesterday. During the attack on the train, eight passengers were killed, while an unconfirmed number of persons were kidnapped. In one of the pictures, women and kids were seated on the floor, while the second picture showed men, with half of them standing and the other half seated.
Chairman of the forum of the abductees’ families, Abdulfatai Jimoh, confirmed to the media that the pictures were very recent and depicted the conditions of victims.
He said the families were still praying that the victims are rescued safely.
The bandits have contacted several family members of the kidnapped passengers, demanding ransom ranging from N5 million to N100 million to facilitate the release of the victims. The bandits also reportedly demanded the release of 16 of their top commanders and sponsors in government custody in exchange for the hostages.
Meanwhile, a female captive said to be eight months pregnant when she was kidnapped in the ill fated Abuja-Kaduna bound train, was reported to have delivered in the terrorists enclave.
Sources said she was among the two pregnant women in the train that were kidnapped.
It was reported that she gave birth at the weekend.
“The woman gave birth safely after the terrorists were said to have invited a medical personnel to attend to her. The state of health of the baby is however unknown.She gave birth with the aid of doctors brought in by the terrorists,” a source said.
