Families of kidnapped victims from the Abuja-Kaduna AK-9 Train, have appealed to the Federal Government to step efforts to secure release of the remaining 50 hostages in hands of the terrorists.
The families said they are worried over the condition of the remaining captives, the 11 of their loved ones released by the abductors on Saturday were still hospitalized because they are sick, traumatized and mentally unstable.
This was disclosed by the family members in Kaduna on Wednesday, as they addressed journalists to appreciate the Federal Government and other stakeholders’ efforts towards rescue of the 11 of their 61 loved ones from terrorists captivity last Saturday.
Names of Abuja-Kaduna train passengers released by terrorists revealed
The 11 released last Saturday brought the total number of the kidnapped train passengers who have regained freedom to 13 as the terrorists had earlier released two, while 50 others including women, children and a Pakistani are still in the terrorists’ captivity.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Chairman of the victims families in Kaduna, Dr Abdulfatah Jimoh whose wife was among the freed 11, said some of the remaining 50 passengers in captivity are sick, while others are mentally unstable.
According to him, “Today being the 77th day after the abduction of our loved ones in the AK-9 Abuja-Kaduna Train, we are here to express our appreciation to God Almighty and thank Mr President, the Service Chiefs, and other Nigerians for the efforts at ensuring the release of 11 of our loved ones.
“We are also saying that, we still have 50 of our loved ones in captivity and we are praying that very soon, they will also be released and reunited with us.
“Those that were released are still reviewing treatment in the hospital, they had gone through a lot of trauma for 77 days, mental trauma, psychological trauma and mental torture. They are mentally unstable. So, they are still recuperating. We hope very soon, they will come back to their normal selves.
“Some of those still in captivity are sick according to information available to us. So, we are appealing to the Federal Government to ensure they are rescued as soon as possible.
“Even those that are not physically sick are not in good mental status, so everyone in there needs to come out as soon as possible, every one more day they spend there is a day of trauma. We are hoping, praying and appealing that all of them are rescued in the shortest possible time,” Jimoh said.
Also one of the family members, Rakiya Lawal Othman whose sister was among the released 11 said she still has a brother among the 50 in the terrorists’ den.
She said even her sister released wept uncontrollably when she was asked by the terrorists to go, knowing that she was leaving her brother behind in the forest.
She however appealed to the Federal Government to hasten the process of negotiation with the abductors with a view to rescuing the others as soon as possible.
