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The recent threat by terrorists to kill abducted train passengers should the government fail to accede to their demands within seven days must be given urgent attention. The terrorists, who kidnapped passengers on board the Abuja-Kaduna bound train on March 28 had given the Federal Government an opportunity to dialogue with them and secure the release of the abducted victims. They warned that failure to do so would lead to the killing of the victims.
The terrorists, who made the demand through Malam Tukur Mamu, the spokesman of a prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Mahmud Gumi, explained that the abduction of the victims was in retaliation of the arrest and detention of their children by the security agencies. They ruled out any monetary consideration in the negotiation and insisted that before any meaningful discussion on the release of the passengers and a safe resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna train service, their children, allegedly kept in a Yola detention facility, must be released unconditionally.
The leader of the terror team, Abu Barra, was quoted to have vowed that “only then will we release some of the abducted victims, especially the women, while other passengers will be released on a prisoner exchange with some of our arrested comrades by the government.”q
The threat by the abductors came two months after the attack on the Abuja/Kaduna bound train by armed bandits, during which some passengers were killed and others abducted while some were declared missing. Among the victims were, a youth leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Amin Mahmoud, a dentist, Dr. Chinelo Megafu, a rising lawyer and son of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Tibile Mosugu, and Musa Lawal-Ozigi, Secretary-General, Trade Union Congress (TUC). Following the attack, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) suspended operations on the route.
The incident took place two days after bandits raided Kaduna Airport, in which a personnel of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) was killed and several other workers, kidnapped. In October last year, bandits operating on the Kaduna-Abuja axis destroyed a portion of the rail track with explosives, forcing the NRC to suspend operations on the route for the first time. The threat by the terrorists must not be ignored or treated with levity by the government. It is sad that more than two months after the deadly attack by the bandits, the Nigerian government has not taken any decisive action to rescue the victims. The continued stay of the victims in the kidnappers’ den is an indication of government’s failure to protect the life and property of the citizens. The condition of the captives as indicated in the recent video released by their abductors is pathetic and horrifying. No Nigerian should be allowed to die in the hands of the terrorists. We urge the government to do everything within its powers to secure the freedom of the abducted victims. Government must ensure that the terrorists do not carry out their threats. Time is of essence in this regard.
The families and relations of the abductees are already going through traumatic experiences on account of their abduction and the current threat by the terrorists to kill them if government fails to meet their demands. It is unfortunate that terrorists and bandits are getting bolder and more strategic in their attacks in the country. The regularity of attacks by bandits on critical transport infrastructure and the relative ease of their escape, impact heavily on the economy of the nation. The attacks can only be symptomatic of a nation in distress.
The menace is bound to continue if the government and relevant security agencies do not stem the tide. Only the government should have the monopoly of instruments of violence, especially in maintaining law and order. On no account should this right be yielded to non-state actors.
Security agencies should rise up to the disturbing demand of the Abuja-Kaduna train hijackers and ensure that they do not have their way. No stone should be left unturned in ensuring that the abducted victims are released intact. Let the war be taken to the door steps of the kidnappers to serve as a deterrent to other criminals contemplating similar odious action. Government should not give in to their cowardly blackmail but ensure that that the abductees are rescued.
