Terrorists that attacked the AK-9 Abuja-Kaduna train and abducted passengers on March 28, have, on Tuesday, released five more hostages including a victim shot while in their custody, Mukhtar Shuaibu.
Shuaibu was shot during a “friendly fire” while in the den of the terrorists.
Tukur Mamu, the Publisher of Kaduna-based Desert Herald and Media Consultant to controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who withdrew as one of the negotiators, confirmed the release of the five hostages.
The identities of those released are: a medical doctor from Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Mustapha Imam, Akibu Lawal, Abubakar Rufai and Mukthar Shuaibu as well as Sidi Sharif.
Mamu, while announcing his withdrawal as a negotiator, had said he did that due to threats to his life, personal integrity and lack of support from the Federal Government.
On the release of the five hostages, Mamu said the terrorists released them on Tuesday and that the victims were in his office to thank him.
The PUNCH had reported that less than 24 hours after the terrorists a fresh video on July 24, where they threatened to abduct the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd), Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, senators and other top government officials, released the third batch of victims in their custody on July 25.
Although there was no mention of whether ransom was paid or not for the released victims, the terrorists had earlier demanded N100 million per each victim before they would be released, of which the victims earlier released had paid.
With the release of the fourth batch of the five victims on Tuesday, 35 victims are still in the custody of the terrorists, having set free 26 of them (victims) in total.
The PUNCH reported that terrorists had earlier released 11 victims in the first batch, seven victims in the second batch, three in the third and five victims in the fourth batch respectively.
On March 28, 2022, the terrorists planted explosives devices along the rail track and when the Abuja-Kaduna bound AK-9 passenger train approached the point, the device exploded, causing the train to derail, leading to the death of eight passengers.
( Punch)
