The Negotiator between Government, families and abductors of the passengers of Abuja-Kaduna AK-9 Train, Malam Tukur Mamu has disclosed that most of the remaining victims of the train attack may hardly survive the next few weeks due to their deteriorating health conditions caused by snakes bites and the inhumane condition they are subjected to in the forest.
Mamu is Media Consultant to Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi and one of those who mediated and successfully secured the release of 11 of the abducted Passengers penultimate Saturday.
Train attack: Step efforts to secure release of remaining victims, families beg FG
Mamu said efforts to rescue the remaining 50 victims must be treated as a national emergency if the government wants all of them to come back alive.
Mamu on Monday however said that, he was alerting the leadership of the country particularly the security agencies and concerned Nigerians that something very urgent must be done immediately to serve the lives of the remaining suffering victims.
“This is not time to politicized issues. Lives of very promising, innocent Nigerians are involved in this. Their health condition is deteriorating by the day. Even animals without proper care will hardly survive in the environment they are forced to leave for nearly 3 months now. I believe government is aware and has taken note of the testimony of the 11 victims that were secured. It makes me sad when issues like this should not be treated with dispatch, with the seriousness and speed it requires.
“Government must activate all avenues of diplomacy. It must be on top of its priority now. We must not be distracted by prioritizing 2023 as I am sadly seeing now while there is visible and glaring threats of losing the remaining victims.
“There has been no major pronouncement lately by all the major political gladiators. All the major political parties have expectedly kept mute. Is it because none of them or their family members are involved?” Mamu laments.
Mamu said in addition to lack of diagnosis and treatment coupled with poor nutrition, poor sanitary condition and how they are exposed to unbearable forest life, most of the innocent hostages have lately developed series of life threatening complications with some vomiting even blood.
He revealed that the condition of those with already underlining illnesses is fast deteriorating and called on the federal government to act fast before it is too late.
Mamu lamented that he feels frustrated and feels the pain whenever he gives updates and publicity to this lingering imbroglio. He opined that the purpose is not meant in any way to embarrass the government or to create panic situation amongst the love ones of the victims but for all those concerned to be alerted about the real development, about the real situation on the ground for urgent collective efforts.
In addition to sicknesses that is threatening the lives of many hostages, snakes bites that affects so many of them according to Malam Mamu has been consistent lately. “I can confirm to you that snakes are many in that forest. Some of them are victims of the snakes bites as they appear frequently in the night. They only depends on local solution to treat it.
“The bites as we know can be life threatening. Government is the only authority with the means and powers to end this crisis as soon as possible. And with the right approach I can assure you it can be achieved within days or weeks. We have proven that in the release of the 11 victims.
“I keep repeating that when one by circumstances was left at the receiving end of every bargain situation particularly a bargain that will secure the lives of innocent people from dreaded killers, government must be prepared to make compromises and to take painful decisions.
“If we can tolerate corrupt officials that are stealing billions every day as a result of which poverty and insecurity increases, for me it is not out of place to use negligible part of such stolen resources to secure such victims whenever the need arises. And if for any reason government did not act promptly, since it has been alerted, they must be prepared to take full responsibility”, Mamu laments.
Mamu however insisted that with the window of mediation he succeeded in opening and for building limited confidence between the government and the abductors coupled with the success of securing the release of the 11 victims, he has done his part and would no longer be part of any engagement regarding the issue for personal reasons.
