Terrorists who kidnapped the AK9 train passengers on their way to Kaduna from Abuja, have threatened to start killing the remaining 51 persons who are still in captivity, after the next 24 hours, if the Federal Government refuses to do their biddings.
This was contained in an audio which went viral, yesterday, in which a voice presumed to be one of the terrorists threatened “to slaughter the victims because the government failed to seek their release.”
The threat led to the families, relatives and friends of about 50 captives that remains to the streets in Kaduna, yesterday, on a peaceful protest, appealing to the government to secure the release of the passengers.
Spokesman to a popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, Malam Tukur Mamu, who had earlier played the role of lead negotiator before 11 hostages were released by their captors, confirmed the authenticity of the audio to journalists.
He said: “The terrorists fixed Wednesday (yesterday) to carry out the threat because they were provoked on Monday after giving us another opportunity.
“I was crying and pleading with them that since there is a delay from the government, they should discuss with the family members directly to negotiate the victims’ release.
“Based on the plea, they agreed to negotiate directly with the victims’ families. But they said they are giving us till Wednesday (yesterday), that if there was nothing concrete from those that are interested in the negotiation, they will start slaughtering some of the victims.”
Meanwhile, families and friends of the remaining passengers still in the terrorists’ den, took to the streets, yesterday, to protest failure of government to secure release of their loved ones, 100 days after.
The family leader forum, Dr Abdulfatai Jimoh, who spoke to journalists during the protest, said:
“Today (yesterday) is exactly 100 days since our loved ones were abducted. It was meant to be a journey of two hours, however, it turned out to be 100 harrowing days. Since then, things have not been the same with us.
“One cannot imagine what our loved ones are going through in this last 100 days in the deep forest —the same clothes, no clean water to drink, no medical care. Many of them are sick, one has even been shot and injured, we don’t know his condition now.
“We have been talking to the government, we have been appealing to them in the last 100 days to rescue our loved ones but so far, we have not seen much.
“It is really very disappointing, we are appealing again to the government to do all that is necessary to bring out our loved ones in the shortest time possible.
“If you remember our loved ones spent their Easter in the bush, the Eid fitr in the bush. Today, we are just three days away from Eid Kabir, we are praying they will spend the Eid Kabir with us. This is our hope and prayer.”
“We want the government to do all that is necessary. We know it’s possible, they can do it, they should do it please.”
“It is a responsibility they owe us as Nigerian citizens, we are citizens in our country, we should be free to move everywhere, we should be protected.
“We have surrendered our sovereignty; we have surrendered our security to the government and it’s incumbent on them to do what is necessary to protect us.
‘’Our loved ones are in captivity for 100 days now. we are appealing to Mr. President and his security chiefs to do what is necessary within their powers.
“We know they can do it, and should do it for us please in the name of God. We are all vulnerable to this situation.
‘’We are expecting them in the next few hours by the special grace of God, not even days. We know they are on it, they should conclude it.’’