The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has argued that the Federal Government is making efforts to rescue the remaining kidnapped passengers of the March 28 train attack, but that all the FG’s efforts were being frustrated by the bandits.
The Presidential assistant made the argument in an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday.
Garba Shehu said that the leader of the terrorist group holding the passengers hostage requested the release of his wife and some of his comrades, a demand the Federal Government complied with. He stated that the terrorist failed to release the hostages even after the Federal Government met his demands.
“Anyone who says that the government is not doing anything or has not done anything does not know what contributions we are making to fight for their freedom. Don’t forget since this thing happened, the leader of the abductors said his concern is to get his pregnant wife out of the security mess she is in.
“Nigerian government took her to the hospital, where she was delivered of twins and he was shown his twins health alongside his wife and was handed to his parents thinking that the government has done a well-done job.
“After this they brought a new request that there are about six to seven of his boys in Yola with the hope that if they are released all abductors are in their custody will be released. The outcome was that they said they needed money. So, nobody should say that the government is not doing anything,” Shehu said.
Media reports emanating from a meeting of President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday met with representatives of the hostages, say that the military has shelved the option of using force in rescuing the remaining hostages.
On why the President has chosen to meet with the representatives of the kidnapped train passengers and not others who were taken from their villages, Shehu said, “Well, these ones have not done anything. They are just passengers in a train, and nonetheless there is a burden on the government and other things.”
On 29 March, after the train attack, the Nigerian Railway Corporation suspended train operations along Abuja-Kaduna route.
Earlier in August, the Federal Government stated that until all those kidnapped terrorists are rescued, the Abuja-Kaduna rail line will not resume operations.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
