Terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train on March 28, 2022, on Wednesday, released seven more hostages, including a family of six and a woman.
The identities of the family of six are the father, Abdubakar Garba; his wife, Maryam; and their 10-year-old son, Ibrahim; Fatima (7); Imran (5); and Zainab, who is one-and-a-half-year old.
Garba, who is a staff member of the National Assembly Service Commission, is the son of a former Military Administrator in Kano and Benue States.
Also released is a 60-year-old woman, Aisha Hassan, who was said to have been released due to life-threatening health challenges that deteriorated recently.
Although Tukur Mamu, publisher of Kaduna-based Desert Herald and media consultant to controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, confirmed the release of the seven hostages to journalists in Kaduna, he however, in a statement, said they were released following Gumi’s intervention.
The statement read in part, “Disturbed by the gory video images of four teenage children belonging to same family he saw in the last video released by the attackers of the AK9 Train, Gumi, for the first time since the abduction of the innocent passengers of that train over four months ago, reached out to the abductors through his media consultant, and sent Allah’s messages to them and consistently pleaded with them to consider the release of the poor children and their innocent parents.
“It was learnt that the health condition of two of the children has deteriorated since the flogging incident that affected their helpless father. A total of additional seven hostages were therefore released on Wednesday.
“The husband of the four kids is a staff member of the NASC. There was no intervention from the commission or NASS on his behalf since the travails began.
“This is to confirm to the world that due to Sheikh Gumi’s efforts and with the support of a serving Senator from the North, (a God-fearing personality that doesn’t have any relationship with the hostages) who chose to remain anonymous, the family of six has regained their freedom on Wednesday morning.
“Also released is a 60-year-old woman, one Hajia Aisha Hassan, who was said to have been released due to life-threatening health challenges that have deteriorated recently.”