The terrorists who attacked the AK9 train traveling from Abuja to Kaduna on March 28 have issued a fresh threat to start killing the remaining 50 hostages in only 24 hours.
The Federal Government allegedly failed to request the release of the remaining hostages, which led to the threat.
This occurred on Wednesday in Kaduna when friends and family of the hostages peacefully protested for the release of the remaining 50 hostages.
In the meantime, the terrorists made a fresh threat to start killing the hostages in a viral audio clip where they promised “to butcher the victims because the government failed to seek their release.”
The audio’s authenticity was confirmed to news reporters in Kaduna by Mallam Tukur Mamu, who is also one of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s negotiators and media consultant.
He claimed that the terrorists chose Wednesday to carry out their threat because, in their eyes, the government provoked them on Monday.
Mamu, who is also the publisher of the Kaduna-based Desert Herald newspaper, claimed that when he first learned of the threat, he sobbed and begged the terrorist organization to instead contact the families because the government was taking its time.
He said, “The terrorists fixed Wednesday 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 that if there was nothing concrete from those that are interested in the negotiation, they will start slaughtering some of the victims.”
Relatives and acquaintances of the victim demanded the immediate release of the remaining 50 captives, claiming that the hostages had been held for 100 days.
The demonstrators began to gather at the Nagwamaste House on Ali Akilu Road in the middle of the city around 7:30 am, and by 8 am, they had taken over the city’s main thoroughfares while yelling, “Release our loved ones!”
Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, the forum’s organizer, said in a press conference that it had been precisely 100 days since their loved ones had been attacked and taken away in a “journey of two hours.”
Insisting that “we know it’s possible. They can do it, they should do it please” he pleaded with the federal government to take all necessary steps to free the remaining captives from the terrorists’ hideout.
Jimoh said, “Today 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 can not imagine what our loved ones are going through in these 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, and 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 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.”
He added, “We want the government to do all that is necessary. We know it is possible. They can do it, they should do it, please.
“It is a responsibility they owe us as Nigerian citizens. We are citizens of 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 is 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 the President Muhammadu Buhari, 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.”
