Abuja-Kaduna Terrorists Finally Make Demand on Kidnapped Passengers

The terrorists who kidnapped over 100 passengers in an attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train on the 28th of March, 2022 have finally made a demand.

They had demanded in a viral video last week that the Nigerian Government meet their demand or they will kill the abducted victims in their custody.

In the video, the terrorists had threatened to “turn their abode into an abattoir” if the government fails to heed to their demands.

Though they failed to identify the specific thing they want, the terrorists disclosed that they are not after money but the government knows what they want and should be fast in meeting their demands.

On Sunday, they released another video showing some of the captives calling on the government to come to their rescue.

The bandits have demanded the release of 16 top commanders and sponsors in government detention centres in exchange for the release of the kidnapped victims.

In a chat with The PUNCH, a senior security official said the criminals attacked the Kaduna bound train in order to kidnap passengers who could be used to bargain for the release of their commanders and sponsors in detention.

He said the criminals have officially made their demand for prisoners’ exchange known in their ongoing negotiations with the Nigerian Government.

The security official said the terrorists demanded the release of their top commanders and sponsors because their sources of funding had declined.

He said, “The bandits have made contact (with the government) but the issue now involves the Interpol because they have international collaborators. Security operatives are working to identify their connection to Boko Haram.

The bandits are after their people who are in custody. They are demanding the release of 16 sponsors and commanders in exchange for the abducted train passengers. That’s why they said in a video that the government knows what they want.

“We arrested some of their commanders and those sponsoring them in Dubai and Nigeria. We have about 16 commanders and sponsors in custody, so they are demanding their release because their sources of funding are declining. I hope the authorities would not release the commanders and sponsors to them because we are getting information on the bandits from the suspects.”

The security officer said the terrorists attacked the train in order to get government attention and negotiate the release of their commanders and sponsors.

He added the threats by the criminals to kill the hostages would not give them what they were demanding from the government.

“If they kill their hostages, they would not achieve what they are looking for. The fact is that they are being starved of funds and that is why they are making the threat and it is also the reason for the attack on the train. 

The security official said that, “They attacked the train just to get government attention and negotiate the release of their commanders and sponsors.”

Read also:

Bandit Terrorists Release Video of Abducted Abuja-Kaduna Train Passengers

Abuja-Kaduna Terrorists Finally Make Demand on Kidnapped Passengers