The terrorists who kidnapped the passengers of the AK-9 Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28 freed four more captives on Friday, including an 85-year-old grandmother named Hajiya Halimatu Atta, her daughter Adams Aliyu, and two other hostages.
The four hostages have been freed, according to Tukur Mamu, publisher of the Kaduna-based Desert Herald and media adviser to notorious Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who withdrew as one of the negotiators.
In addition, Mamu warned that, like the Dapchi schoolgirl Leah Sharibu, a 21-year-old named Arzurfa Lois John may be forced into a terrorist marriage if quick action was not taken.
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He claimed that Lois was in love with one of the terrorists’ commanders.
Mamu gave the identities of those released to include, Mama Halimatu Atta, her daughter, Adams, Mohammed Sani Abdulmaji (M.S Ustaz) (who suggested his (Mamu) names to the terrorists as one those to mediate) as well as a Sokoto indigene, Alhaji Modin Modi Bodinga.
Mamu said the terrorists planned to marry off the 21-year-old girl, alerting the Federal Government and the Christian Association of Nigeria to act urgently.
According to him, the CAN must not politicise or take the information with levity, adding that relevant authorities should engage the abductors in her (Lois) case as soon as possible before it is late.
Mamu’s Appeal
He said;
I can confirm that earlier on Friday, four additional victims of the train attack were released by their abductors. The four released victims just left my office.
They said they came collectively to thank me for the past efforts I made to mediate on their behalf and for convincing their abductors to drop the threats of executing them and to plead for all stakeholders especially the federal government to intensify efforts as the condition of the remaining 23 victims they left at the forest is pathetic.
Amongst those that were released on Friday includes the oldest victim, a grandmother, Mama Halimatu Atta. She is 90 years old. Also released is her daughter, a 53-year-old married woman, Adama Atta Aliyu, (the woman that was bravely shown in the last video protesting and challenging her captors and lamenting failure to secure their release). The victim that first suggested my name to the abductors, as one of those to be contacted to mediate between them and the federal government, Mohammed Sani Abdulmaji (M.S Ustaz) and a Sokoto indigene, Alhaji Modin Modi Bodinga were also released on Friday.
He further appealed to the Federal Government and the CAN to ensure the rescue of one of the Kaduna train captives, whom one of the top terrorist commanders is said to be in love with.
This is to alert the federal government and especially the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that I can confirm through credible information at my disposal that if urgent action is not taken to immediately secure the release of the youngest victim of the train attack, a 21-year-old Azurfa Lois John, the abductors as they have done in the case of Leah Sharibu are planning to marry her any moment from now. One of the top commanders is said to be in love with her.
This important information should be treated with the urgency it deserves. Even though I know that releasing this information will not only unsettle her immediate family and loved ones but Nigerians as a whole, it is necessary to do so to avoid a repeat of Leah Sharibu’s case.
I advise CAN in particular not to politicise this issue or reduce it to mere press releases as I have seen in the past but to work closely with relevant authorities to engage the abductors on her case as soon as possible before it is late.
I pray that in view of the uncertainties which are becoming alarming, the federal government will also act very fast to ensure the release of all the remaining victims.
