Insurgents, who bombed the Abuja-Kaduna train in March, have released a second video showing 39 people, who have been held captive since the attack, screaming and wailing for help and begging the government and the international community to meet the captors’ demands so that they will be released.
In the video the captors can be seen manhandling their hostages and flogging them with sticks, while the captives scream for help.
The Abuja-Kaduna-bound train was bombed on March 28. Eight people were killed and several others injured. The attackers abducted 62 passengers.
In the new video, some of the gunmen’s heads are covered by turbans. They are seen manhandling victims and flogging them with sticks as they wail and shout for help.
At one stage, a gunman tells two accomplices, Ali and Abdullahi, to stop beating the victims.
The video also shows women and children deep in a forest.
Afterwards, one of the abducted passengers, who identified himself as Barrister Hassan, appears on camera, telling viewers how they were kidnapped and lamenting that the Nigerian government has failed to secure their release.
He pleads with foreign governments, such as Britain, America, France, Saudi Arabia and the whole of the international community to help secure their release. He says the gunmen do not intend keeping them in the forest for a week and urges the federal government to fulfil the demands of their captors so that they can be released and reunited with their families.
In the video an elderly woman – one of the hostages – is seen weeping copiously. She’s obviously angered by the government’s inaction and described its members “wicked”.
One of the gunmen tells viewers that the Nigerian government should be blamed for what is happening to the captives because they have refused to do what is “needed”.
“We know your [Nigerian government] plan is to rescue the captives by force. But know that this is just a little of what we can do to them [beating the captives]. As we said earlier, if you [the government] do not meet our demands, this place will be a slaughterhouse.”
One of the gunmen, who appears to be the leader of the gang, vows that his group will kidnap top government officials, including politicians and senators.
Many people reacted furiously on social media platforms, particularly on Twitter.
Bulama Audu Bukarti, a senior analyst in the Extremism Policy Unit of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, said on his twitter handle, @bulamabukarti: “That video of the Abuja-Kaduna train victims is distressing indeed, but that shouldn’t make anyone lose sight of the message in it. The victims have lost faith in the Nigerian govt, so they appealed to Britain, America, France and Saudi to rescue them. The attackers said clearly that they’re members of [Abubakar] Shekau’s Boko Haram. Their leader, who spoke first, said: ‘We’ll sell some like our Imam said he would sell the Chibok girls.’ This should put to bed the theory that bandits carried out the attack. It’s another evidence that BH is active in the North Central.
“One speaker said he was among those who escaped from Kuje Prison, suggesting that the Kuje attack was carried out by the JAS [Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād, better known as Boko Haram], not ISWAP [Islamic State West Africa Province], or they worked together. The terrorists concluded by threatening to kill the captives if their demands aren’t met and that more attacks are coming. The victims expressed strong anger at the Nigerian govt, with some cursing [President Muhammadu] Buhari by name, while sobbing and saying: ‘Is this how you’d have behaved if your family was kidnapped?’ They said the govt has neglected them & is now frustrating negotiations between the abductors & their families.”
A Nigerian with the Twitter handle of @Engr_Abdulmalik tweeted: “I’m really disappointed with you @MBuhari! My brother went for his NYSC [foreign-trained graduates into the National Youth Service Corps] documentation, thinking he will serve his fatherland, while on his way back using [the] Abuja-Kaduna train he’s kidnapped and they’re tortured every day. You have nothing to tell Nigerians! You have failed us!!”
Another tweet by @Abou_Sidra_ said: “Watching my brother and other innocent humans being humiliated this way for over 120 days is devastating. Knowing the government is doing nothing to rescue them and also blocking our frantic efforts to rescue them is depressing. #SaveAK9TrainPassengers.”
Some of the train passengers kidnapped on March 28 have been released, following the payment of ransoms. But there are 39 passengers still being held, including the wife and son of a former military governor of Kano state, Idris Garba.
Buhari has ordered his service chiefs to end “terrorism”.
His spokesman, Garba Shehu, speaking on his behalf, sent his condolences on Sunday to a former national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Adamu Muazu, whose brother was killed and his sister abducted by bandits who stormed his house in the Tafawabalewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State in northeastern Nigeria.
Buhari said: “This double tragedy is particularly moving. I know it’s hard to cope with the weight of this tragedy on your family. I feel your pain. Let me use this opportunity to reassure you and other Nigerians facing threats from the atrocities of the bandits that I will leave no stone unturned to ensure these enemies of humanity are finally crushed and decisively defeated.
“Security is my constant concern and I have kept the service chiefs on their toes to ensure that they come up with a decisive solution to end this menace.”
SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO
