It would be recalled that the bandits attacked the train on March 28, 2022, after bombing the rail tracks.
They killed nine people in the attack, many were wounded and over 62 passengers were abducted and taken to their base.
In a new development, the terrorists have threatened to start slaughtering the victims within seven days if FG fails to release their children allegedly kept in a detention facility in Yola.
The leader of the terrorist group identified as Abu Barra, made the threat via calls to Malam Tukur Mamu, the spokesperson of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, The Nation reports.
He said,
“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.”
“The pictures of the passengers they sent earlier, were among some of the pictures they sent to the negotiation team of the government as proof of the well-being of the victims. They said since then the government had been lacklustre.”
Berra also told Nigerians to forget about using the Abuja-Kaduna rail and Kaduna-Abuja highway, if the government fails to respond to their demands, otherwise, they will continue attacking commuters.
“If the government decided not to respond, so be it. We are warning Nigerians, especially those that are patronizing the train, that if this matter is not resolved peacefully, the day they decided to attack us or do anything funny, passengers or commuters should forget to use the train or follow the Abuja-Kaduna road because we will be consistent and they can’t stop us. We believe that you will deliver this message as it is. Therefore, we rely on you and urged you to convey this important message to everyone.”
