Families of the abducted victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue their loved ones or consider giving in to the request of the abductors.
Speaking to the press in Abuja, on Wednesday, the spokesperson to the families of the victims, Matilda Ajayi, said “we are calling on Mr President (President Muhammadu Buhari), the service chiefs, the head of security agencies, national and international human rights organisations, to rescue our families.
“They are your family too. There can be no negotiation without dialogue. Do not close the chapter on our story, it will forever change the course of history. Release their children let us have our family, and your family back. Do not turn a blind eye to our plight.
“So we are appealing to our dear president and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to kindly consider and agreed to the demand of the abductors of our family members and save innocent Nigerians and your citizens,” they stated.
Ajayi stated that “yesterday, we received a most heartbreaking ultimatum from the abductors of the Ak9 train passengers that departed from Abuja on March 28, 2022, at 6:10 pm heading to Kaduna but never got to its destination.
“The past 58 days have been one of unprecedented agony. Although hopeful of seeing our loved ones again, Yesterday took the winds out of our sails. Whatever hope we have been holding onto, seems to be slipping through our fingers.
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“We are a family. Nigeria is one big family, Africa is one big family, the entire world is a harmonious family having descended from The first Man & woman, Adam & Eve. We owe ourselves a brotherhood and we deserve a sisterhood.
“We might not share the same name, religion, tribe, nation, language or skin colour but we share the exact composition that makes us all same, that is our HUMANITY. no human is made different from the other. From conception to death, we all thread the same evolution. This message today is to appeal to our humanity toward other humans.
“Yesterday, we found out through the media of an ultimatum by the abductors of our loved ones to release their children who were held captive and separated from their mothers. These are toddlers from the report that we heard are Kids between 1 to 11yrs. The scariest part of this ultimatum is the threat to life.
“What world is this? What manner of betrayal is this? Where is humanity in this? The whole world seems to have moved on but for us, we still live on March 28. The days might have gone by but we haven’t. And the world shouldn’t. This fight goes beyond the 60 plus people in captivity, it is accountability, owed to us by the people meant to lead and govern us. It is breaking a promise made to serve and protect not just them, but us all,” they lamented.
Families of the victims noted that “every society is as good as the history it sets for future generations to look at. The children in captivity have had a major life shift whether we will admit it or not. Both the abductors and the abductees. These are our future tomorrow, and I ask you now “what do you think the future holds for them?
“Seven days until we are not able to say we have a system that works for the common man. Seven days, should we expect a funeral or a liberation? Seven days, for parents to either hug or mourn their children? Seven days for some wives to adorn themselves the title of widows and husbands to become widowers? Seven days, until children are called orphans or seven days until insurgency and banditry win?” they questioned.
Tribune Online learnt that following the threat by the abductors of the train attack victims, there was a security meeting at the ministry of transportation but details of the meeting are yet to be known.
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Ultimatum: Families of Abuja-Kaduna train attack victims ask Buhari to consider request of kidnappers
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