After intense negotiations between the Federal Government and the terrorists of the Abuja-Kaduna-bound train who kidnapped several passengers almost three months ago, 11 of the abducted passengers were released yesterday.
The media consultant of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, Tukur Mamu made the disclosure yesterday.
Recall that prior to the release of the abductors the terrorists had demanded that Mamu be involved in efforts to secure their release. Similar engagements by the terrorists with the security agencies were stalled, according to the abductors, due to what they called “breach of trust and lost of confidence”.
Also, recall that due to similar setbacks the abductors have initially vowed to stop feeding their victims and even threatened to start killing them if FG did not address their grievances including “the release of our teenage children and colleagues that were arrested”.
However, through constructive mediation and engagement and with the support of the security agencies, the Publisher was able to successfully douse that tension and the initial threat with the abductors withdrawing the threat for execution, etc for two weeks while talks continued.
Mamu further said the 11 victims that were released have been flown on the orders of President Buhari to Abuja for medical evaluation and treatment before reuniting them with their grieving families.
According to him, some retired Army Generals and a renowned professor also assisted towards the release of the passengers.
