Sadly, the inaction of the Federal Government has worsened the plight of 43 Abuja-Kaduna train attack victims still in captivity more than three months after they were kidnapped by terrorists on March 28.
Their captors were reported to have demanded N100m ransom for each of them. This means that the kidnappers expect to get N4.3b. Predictably, the families of these kidnapees are troubled by the development.
So far, kidnapped victims of the train attack have been released in four batches. Seven of them were freed on July 9, and their relatives were said to have paid N800m for their release. There were six Nigerians reported to have paid N100m each. There was also a Pakistani said to have paid N200m. “Only N200m was collected in naira, the remaining N600m was paid in the equivalent of US dollars,” a report quoted a source as saying.
The abductors had previously released three batches of captives, managing director of Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, alleged to have paid a ransom, a group of 11 victims, and a pregnant woman.
After the attack, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had said there were 362 people on board the train. Sadly, eight passengers were killed, 41 injured, and many were kidnapped.
Initially, the kidnappers had shown no interest in ransom. “We don’t need money,” they said, and demanded “prisoner exchange.” They had threatened to kill the captives if the government failed to meet their demands.
This background makes their new focus on ransom puzzling. Why are they now demanding ransom? What has changed? Or perhaps they are demanding ransom because nothing has changed. The authorities have done little or nothing to show that they are interested in getting the captives freed.
Apart from the government’s role to ensure security, the fact that these victims were kidnapped on a public train places a moral burden on the authorities.
From the look of things, the government is unable to rescue the captives. It refused to negotiate with the kidnappers on “prisoner exchange,” and has refused to consider ransom payment. This suggests that it wants the families of the captives to find a solution.
A report quoted a source as saying, “It is money that is still delaying the release of the others… The situation now is that if you have your money, your loved ones would be freed.”
The government allowed the matter to get to this point. It has no solution to the problem. It may well be part of the problem.