Abductors of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers have given a seven-day ultimatum for the government to accede to their demands or all hostages in their custody would be killed.
The abductors made the request in a phone conversation with Malam Tukur Mamu, the spokesman of controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.
Recall that the terrorists stormed a Kaduna-bound train on March 28, killed some passengers, and abducted many of them.
The abductors subsequently demanded the release of their children kept in a Yola detention facility in exchange for the abductees.
Leader of the terrorists, Abu Barra, said that since the abduction took place more than two months ago, anything could happen to the abductees.
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The terrorists boasted that the government suspended the Abuja-Kaduna train service because of their threats, warning that refusal to accede to their threat would spell doom for the train service’s resumption.
”The government suspended the resumption of the train service indefinitely because of our threats and we repeat, if our conditions are not met, the resumption of the train service is to the detriment of the government and the passengers,” the terrorists said.
“We don’t need money. We have a good reason for doing what we did, until our demands are met none of the victims will come out alive even if it means we all die with them. They are well taken care of as you can see from the pictures we sent to you via WhatsApp but we assure you that this will not continue.
“We choose you (Tukur Mamu) to convey this important message to the government, the families of the victims and Nigerians in general because we believe you won’t alter our message and we have seen you severally with Sheikh Gumi in the forest, therefore, we recognized the fearlessness in you,” the terrorists said.
Abu Barra explained, “Our children numbering about 8 between the ages of one to seven years are currently being held at an orphanage in Jimeta, Adamawa State under the supervision of the Nigerian Army.
“The names of our children are, Abdulrahman, Bilkisu, Usman, Ibrahim and Juwairiyyah. They were forcefully taken from our wives in Nasarawa and taken to the orphanage in Yola.
“For any continued discussion on the release of these passengers and a safe resumption of the train service, our children must be released unconditionally. Only then we will 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.”
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