Relatives of Abuja-Kaduna train victims issue 72 hours ultimatum to FG

By Enekorogha Godbless
& Teide Emomotimi

Relatives of the abducted Kaduna train victims have given the federal government three day (72 hours) ultimatum to rescue their beloved relations.

The angry relatives asserted that the government’s effort towards rescuing their relations is insufficient and not impressing, adding that the victims are very important to their families.

“Since the incident, the Nigerian Railway Corporation is yet to reach out to us on efforts made to rescue the kidnapped victims,” they noted.

The angry relatives gave the government three days (72hours) warning to rescue their loved ones, insisting that the reluctance on the side of the government to rescue their beloved relations is provoking.

They narrated, “they will take any action if the government fails on its part to rescue the lives of their siblings within the timeframe given to it.”

The relatives of the kidnapped victims disclosed this to newsmen after their meeting held on Monday in Kaduna state. They maintained that they are ready to contact and make negotiations with the bandits if the government fails to rescue their beloved relations within the 72 hours given to them. This was made known to the public by Dr Abdulfatai Jimoh who spoke to the public, on behalf of the kidnapped relatives immediately after their meeting. He also asserted that their relatives (victims) were Kidnapped on March 28, 2022.

“This incident happened on the 28 of March, a day or two after, most of us had communication with the bandits. The kidnappers said that we should be ready that they are going to contact us. And we have not heard any communication from them since then. Since this incident happened, we expected that by now, the government, the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Transportation are supposed to have identified relatives of the victims to tell us what effort they are making or not to rescue our loved ones unhurt.

“The primary duty of any government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens. We believe our government can do it and it’s capable of doing it, until a few days ago we had been expecting telephone calls from the abductors because that’s what they promised us but when we saw the video, they made it very clear that they want to discuss with the government; that they have something with the government.

“We don’t know what they want from the government. But it’s now an opportunity and a window for the government to rescue our loved ones by opening channels of communication with them(terrorists). This is not out of place. It is done anywhere in the world.

“Even the US, Israel and the most powerful nations of the world, do negotiate when they have issues like this to preserve the lives of their citizens. This, we know our government can do and we are appealing to them to do it. We don’t know what is between them but it is something that can be resolved in the interest of the lives of Nigerian citizens. Life is very sacred even if it is one life that’s involved.

“We are appealing to Nigeria government to do everything within its powers and it is something that’s not beyond the government to do. We are appealing to them to come out to open a channel of discussion with the bandits and get our loved ones out as quickly as possible. We have been in serious anguish over the past 15 days.