Sixty-five days after bandits attacked Kaduna bound train and abducted its passengers, the families of the victims have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari, informing him that 62 persons are still in captivity.
They said that a two-year-old baby and aged and sick parents were among the abducted persons yet to be released.
The families made the revelation during a meeting with a member of the House of Representatives representing Ede-North/Ede-South/Egbedore/Ejigbo federal constituency of Osun State, Bamidele Salam, who staged a lone protest on Wednesday on the need for government to secure the release of the abductees.
Speaking at the meeting in Abuja, chairman of the families of the attack victims, Aliyu Mahmood, said they were traumatised and heartbroken.
While thanking Bamidele for empathizing with them, Mahmood pleaded with the government to intensify efforts at securing the release of their victims.
He demanded an open door discussion with the bandits if possible to plead with them to release their loved ones.
He said: “We are tired of being in the press and we are not impressed with how the government has handled the matter. We appreciate their efforts but we need to see things move rapidly. These people have been in captivity for 65 days.
“They are out in the open. This is rainy season. They don’t have shelter. They don’t have all the necessary things human needs to feel secure and we have a toddler that is two years old.
“You can only imagine what they are going through. I am sure the environment is hostile. You have people with guns. You have people that are so sick and don’t have medications. We are talking about 65 days of zero movements as far as we are concerned.
“We are still pleading with the government and if the government feels they can open doors of discussion for us to talk to the bandits, we look forward to that.
“That is what we want because, maybe, we can convince them and they will do the needful and release all these people held in captivity. So, please, try and be proactive. Let this thing be finished as so.
Earlier, the lawmaker, Bamidele Salam, in his remarks after a brief private meeting with the relatives of the victims, said he would engage the leadership of the House on the matter.
Vanguard News