The gunmen who abducted passengers on a Kaduna-bound train have released another video of the abductees.
In the recent video, the hostages were pleading with the Nigerian authorities to come to their rescue.
Monday’s video is the fifth time the bandits, as the gunmen are locally called, are releasing video or pictorial evidence that the abductees are alive.
The abduction was executed after the bandits planted explosives on the rail track and immobilised the train around Katari and Rijana axis. The attack was carried out in the evening of the 28th of March.
At least nine people were killed in the attack while several others were injured.
The Nigerian government said it is doing its best to rescue the abducted passengers but 67 days later, only the managing director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, and a pregnant woman have been released by the gunmen.
Recent video clip
There were eight passengers in the new video released by the bandits. Five of the abductees – all men – were in kneeling position behind three women sitting on a tarpaulin while a masked gunman stood behind them with a rifle.
The gunman spoke in English – the first time the abductors would. They had spoken in Hausa in all their previous videos.
“They (passengers) are appealing to us that they want to talk to the government. So we’re giving them chance to talk to the federal government so, left for you to listen or abandon them..” (sic)
One of the passengers, Maryam Abubakar, said she was abducted alongside her husband and four children.
She said two of her sons are seriously sick.
The son of the leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Ango Abdullahi, Sadiq Ango, also spoke.
“We are appealing to the federal government to once again come to our aid. We have been here for 62 days. Most of us here are sick and we are not in good condition and everyday the situation deteriorates. We are appealing to the federal government to please come to our aid before we start losing our lives.”
Another passenger, who said her name is Gladys, said the condition has been unfavourable.
“My name is Gladys….I’m pleading particularly to professor Yemi Osinbajo who was my classmate at 78/79 law school. You are a grandfather and a father; come to our aid because we have been here for 62 days and I have a son who is a sickler; I don’t know his condition now,” she said.
All the passengers pleaded with the Nigerian authorities to come to their rescue.
