Train Attack: Seven More Abductees Regain Freedom, Reunite With Families

The terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna-bound AK-9 train on March 28 have released another set of seven hostages in their custody after more than 100 days in captivity in the forest.
The seven hostages have now reunited with their families.
Mallam Tukur Mamu, one of the negotiators and Media Consultant to controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who disclosed this, yesterday, said that the released abductees reunited with their families late Saturday evening.
The seven hostages are Bosede Olurotimi, Abubakar Zubairu, Alhassan Sule, Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, Muhammad Daiyabu Paki, Aliyu Usman as well as only foreign national of Pakistani origin, Dr. Muhammad Abuzar Afzal.
The terrorists had three weeks ago released 11 out of 61 victims of abducted train passengers who were kidnapped on March 28. With the release of another seven, 43 captives are still in the terrorists’ den.
Malam Mamu said through his singular efforts, he successfully negotiated the release of “another seven victims”.
He said that despite his resolve to withdraw completely due to frustrations, he had been under pressure from notably family members of the victims to reconsider his “stand in view of the respect and confidence the abductors have in his ability to sincerely engage in dialogue”.
Mamu, who is also the publisher of Kaduna-based Desert Herald newspaper, stated that the release of the seven additional hostages had “vindicated Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi, about what the power of mediation can achieve”.
He added that the seven released hostages have now reunited with their families.
He said, “I want to assure the nation that everything that was achieved today was singlehandedly initiated and arranged by me with the full support and prayers of my principal, Sheikh Gumi.
“That is why I keep emphasising that government has the power to end the agony of these innocent victims in one day. This is just one individual that sacrifices his life and even integrity. There is no military solution to the current security debacle in Nigeria.
“When you sincerely engage them these guys, even though wicked with misguided religious beliefs, they are listening. I have sufficient evidence to prove that they do listen. It is this power of engagement and sincerity that resulted to the release of these seven victims.
“In whatever I do, I don’t need or require any reward from anybody but from Allah, but I hope the nation we sacrificed our lives for will recognise us”.
Mamu thanked the General Officer Commanding the one Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army for the support during the negotiation and the subsequent release of the hostages.
“The location they (abductors) gave is remote, sensitive and risky. There was a military checkpoint before penetrating the forest. My team was stopped by the soldiers but when they told the military our mission, they contacted the GOC and he immediately gave approval for them to proceed.
“After the victims were successfully evacuated, travelling through over 40 kilometres in the forest, they were given a military escort back to Kaduna at the checkpoint”, he added.
He, however, lamented that despite the poor medical condition of many of the released hostages, there was unnecessary security checks which wasted their time in a military unit at the outskirts of Kaduna.