Families and friends of passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna train kidnapped during an attack on the train on March 28 pleaded with the Federal Government on Tuesday to release their loved ones taken captive by the bandits by caving in to their new demands.
This came after the terrorists threatened to starve and kill their hostages one by one if the Federal Government did not accept their demands.
The bandits requested the unconditional release of their children, who were allegedly kept at an Adamawa State orphanage home under the rigorous supervision of the Nigerian Army, as well as the release of their detained colleagues.
Their requests were published in the latest issue of the Kaduna-based Desert Herald newspaper, whose owner, Tukur Mamu, works as a Media Consultant for a controversial Islamic cleric named Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.
According to Mamu, the bandits contacted him through one of their leaders, only identified as Abu Barra, and gave him strict instructions to deliver the message to the victims' relatives and the Federal Government.
In response to the message, the leader of the kidnapped victims' families, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, told The PUNCH in Kaduna that the Federal Government should consider the terrorists' demands to release victims who had been held captive for about two months.
Jimoh stated that detaining juveniles in any situation was unacceptable, and he urged the government to free the eight minors who the bandits claimed were being detained in Adamawa State.
"It's a bad scenario," he remarked. Our request to the government is that it expedite action, meet their demands, and liberate their children. The government should allow their children to assist our people. It is something that the government is capable of doing.
"You don't keep kids for anything. The youngsters are underage. It is something that the government is capable of doing. They (the bandits) even claimed to know where their children were. Our request is simple: the government free their children so that they can release our people."
Jimoh, who described their inability to see their loved ones for nearly two months as "sad," added, "it has been quite stressful not seeing our loved ones for 57 days now." Even his worst enemy would not wish for such an event. It is not a pleasant experience. We hope that this ordeal comes to an end soon. That is our hope."
The explosive exploded as the Kaduna-bound railway approached the spot, causing the train to derail and killing eight passengers.
Another passenger died a day after the incident from a gunshot wound, bringing the death toll to nine.
More than 60 people remain in the kidnappers' den.