Facts emerged that the video released at the weekend showing terrorists beating up helpless passengers abducted from the Abuja-Kaduna AK9 train service on March 28, 2022, was triggered by anger over the blockade of a ransom in exchange for some of the captives, Daily Trust has learnt.
Daily Trust reports that since the attack, four months ago, which led to the killing of about nine passengers and abduction of 60 people, at least 20 of the victims have been released in batches after they each paid a ransom of N100m while over 40 victims remain in captivity.
Daily Trust reports that since the attack, four months ago, which led to the killing of about nine passengers and abduction of 60 people, at least 20 of the victims have been released in batches after they each paid a ransom of N100m while over 40 victims remain in captivity.
It was learnt that that renewed negotiation to release another batch of the victims was truncated after security officials turned away ransom bearers from delivering the agreed amount.
The development was said to have angered the terrorists who beat up victims in the new 11-minute video released late on Saturday and threatened to kill them.
The terrorists also threatened to kidnap President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, senators and other political leaders in the country.
One of them, who spoke in the video, accused the government of lying about a negotiation committee and plotting to forcefully free the captives.
A victim filmed in the video clip, Mukhtar Shuaibu, confirmed the terrorists’ disenchantment over the blockade of the ransom.
“We don’t know what offence we have committed to the government of this country. We were born in this country. We have been here for 120 days, yet the government has been unable to rescue us. What is our offence to this country? Some of us were to be released recently but security agents blocked the access and refused to let our relatives come for us,” he said.
Speaking with one of our correspondents, a source whose younger brother is in captivity said as promised earlier, the terrorists had begun negotiating directly with relatives and had agreed to release some of the captives, especially one of them who is said to be ill.
“Some of the relatives had approached the meeting point when they came in contact with some soldiers who blocked access to the forests and even threatened to arrest them,” he said.
