The federal government has informed the families of the abducted Kaduna-Abuja train passengers that their loved ones will be returned safely because all essential procedures for their release have been initiated.
The pledge came after officials from “highest position” met with family members on Thursday and assured them that the process of identifying the terrorists’ jailed children had begun.
The meeting, according to the relatives’ leader, Dr Ba’abba Muhammad, “doused the growing tension among families following the life threat issued by the abductors.”
“Government officials have contacted us,” Muhammad added.
He continued, “Yes, they have given us assurances, but you know just saying they are going to release the children of the abductors is a little bit more complicated because the terrorists mentioned names, an orphanage and all these things have to be checked out first.
“We are assured that they have started processing all these things. So, if someone tells you they are doing something and you can see that they are right there and they are from the highest authority, you have to believe it.”
Recall that on May 24, the kidnappers of the train passengers gave the federal government a seven-day deadline to release eight of their children, who are being detained at an orphanage in Jimeta, Adamawa State, under the supervision of the Nigerian Army.
The terrorists stated that in Nasarawa, children aged one to seven were kidnapped from their moms. They threatened to kill the abductees if they were not released unconditionally within seven days.
The head of the afflicted families, on the other hand, claimed that the government is aware of the ultimatum and that it will work at a faster rate.
“They know about the ultimatum and we believe that they should work within that pace. So, they have given us the reassurances and they have also gotten their concerns and have communicated with the abductors.
“They said, they are leaving no stone unturned, and they are going to make sure this thing comes to an end and very soon, I am just quoting their words.
“So, we have given them the benefit of doubt because we have reached the highest position of whom we needed to see and we are hoping, expecting and we believe they are going to do something before the end of the ultimatum,” Muhammad said.
Despite these promises, he told Newsmen, the families will continue to be in the sights of the government and other security organizations.
On Wednesday, the families marched to the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat to protest for the third time the extended detention of their loved ones, particularly in light of the terrorists’ threat to their lives.
They requested the government to comply with the terrorists’ demands by releasing their children in order to prevent their loved ones from being killed.
Terrorists detonated an explosive on the rail track of an inbound Kaduna-Abuja train 61 days ago.
Nine passengers were killed, 26 were injured, and 62 people, including women, men, a foreigner, and five minors, were taken to an unknown location as a result of the perpetrators’ actions.
On “sympathy ground,” only two have been released thus yet.
