Families of the 43 passengers still in captivity since the Abuja-Kaduna train attack on March 28, 2022, will have to cough out a whopping N4.3billion to secure their release, according to information filtering in from the forest, where they are presently being kept.
This is because the terrorists holding them are now demanding N100million on the head of each of them after spending more than three months in captivity, where one of them is said to have been delivered a baby.
Even though the terrorists had initially said that the attack on the train and abduction was not about money, but other demands, they claimed the Federal Government was aware of, it seems to have boiled down to it eventually.
Perhaps, the change of mind, to make the demand a monetary affair, may have come after the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), the group credited with the March attack eventually freed their leaders secured at the Kuje Prison on Tuesday last week, after a successful operation.
ISWAP, which has since upped the ante since taking a cue from the initial Boko Haram group terrorising the North East, some years back, has since claimed responsibility for the Kuje onslaught, where the entire prisoners were freed.
The terrorists, who were said to have demanded the immediate release of 15 of their top commanders and their children, followed up with the release of 11 of the hostages, on June 12 about a month before striking in Kuje, and followed up with the freeing of another seven on Saturday, four days after.
Though it is not yet ascertained what led to the sudden change of mind to effect the release five days after the day the terrorists claimed they would start executing the victims, The Punch, quotes a family member of the abducted victims, as stating they were now asking each family to cough up N100m ransom for the release of their loved ones, after each of the seven victims that were released on Saturday paid an undisclosed amount.
“It is money that is still delaying the release of the others. The terrorists are demanding ransom now. We heard the last set paid money. They (terrorists) have reached out to us as regards the payment of ransom. The situation now is that if you have your money, your loved ones would be freed. They have pegged the ransom at N100m. It is just unfortunate,” the source reportedly, said.
Another family member said they were told that the terrorists were no longer interested in negotiating with the Federal Government, saying that N100m was required to free those in captivity, adding that they were still pleading with the terrorists to reduce the ransom as some of them could not afford the huge amount.
“My loved one has not been released, those that were released paid N100m. I don’t have that kind of money. The kidnappers got in touch with us. They said they were no longer negotiating with the Federal Government. Getting N100m is the dilemma many of us don’t have.”
Meanwhile, the seven persons released by the terrorists have reunited with their families on Saturday evening.
They include Bosede Olurotimi, Abubakar Zubairu, Alhassan Sule, Sadiq Abdullahi, Muhammad Paki, Aliyu Usman as well as a Pakistani, Dr. Muhammad Afzal.
Squadron
A victim, Sadique, who is the son of former Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, broke down in tears while thanking God for regaining his freedom.
“The soldiers were considerate enough to hand us over to Tukur Mamu, the lead negotiator after we insisted that we will not go with them. The most difficult job has been done by him. Alhamdulillah(Praise be to God).
“We were all taken to his office and even before then, he has contacted all our family members to come and pick us up. I can confirm to you that this man did this thing alone because even our family members were taken by surprise. They least expected the rescue soon, more so, that today (Saturday) is Sallah day,” Sadiq added.
He urged the Federal Government to hasten efforts to ensure that the remaining 43 passengers were released as soon as possible “because of their deteriorating health condition.”
When asked if the terrorists were demanding N100m, the negotiator, Manu, he reportedly said the government was in a better position to answer that (question) as all the terrorists wanted as their demands had to be forwarded to the government.
“I sent the list to the government but honestly, there was nothing that was done. It was as a result of that that they (terrorists) threatened this attack (on Kuje prison) and eventually they succeeded in rescuing dozens of them(terrorists) instead of only 10. I think the government should explain that because it has been communicated to the government,” Mamu was quoted as saying, commending the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni over what he described as his “behind the scene role” in the release of the seven hostages.
He reportedly added: “Sincerely, I have so much respect for Governor Buni. From the information I have, there is no single Yobe citizen left in that forest but that governor demonstrated an uncommon concern on this issue.
“He has been in touch with me throughout, monitoring development and even reaching out to those concerned whenever there is a need to do so. He gave lots of support. This is a governor from the North-East far from the North-West where we have this crisis. He told me not to publicise his efforts but I had to.”
The Spokesman, Department of State Service (DSS), Peter Afunanya, reportedly declined comment on the terrorists’ demand when contacted on the phone, while spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), was quoted as saying he was not aware of the negotiations with the kidnappers.
The leader of the victims’ families, Dr Abdulfatai Jimoh, was also reported to have said that that after the release of the seven hostages on Saturday, 43 more hostages were still in the terrorists’ den.
Source:Whirlwind
