Unknown gunmen that kidnapped train passengers have threatened to kill their victims in the next seven days should the federal government delay further in meeting their demands.
The bandits in a phone conversation with Tukur Mamu, the spokesperson of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi repeated that their demands had no financial undertone and required quick compliance from the FG.
According to an audio conversation, acquired by Desert Herald, the leader of the terrorists, Abu Barra said;
“We don’t need money. We have a good reason for doing what we did. Until our demands are met, none of the victims will come out alive even if it means we all die with them.
“They are well taken care of as you can see from the pictures, we sent to you via WhatsApp but we assure you that this will not continue.
“We choose you (Tukur Mamu) to convey this important message to the government, the families of the victims, and Nigerians in general because we believe you won’t alter our message and we have seen you severally with Sheikh Gumi in the forest, therefore, we recognize the fearlessness in you.”
Barra further highlighted their demands, disclosing that the attack on the Abuja -Kaduna about 60 days ago resulted from the government’s arrest and detention of their children.
“Our children numbering about eight between the ages of one to seven years are currently being held at an orphanage in Jimeta, Adamawa State under the supervision of the Nigerian Army.
“The names of our children are; Abdulrahman, Bilkisu, Usman, Ibrahim, and Juwairiyyah. They were forcefully taken from our wives in Nasarawa and taken to the orphanage in Yola.
“For any continued discussion on the release of these passengers and a safe resumption of the train service, our children must be released unconditionally.
“Only then we will release some of the abducted victims, especially the women while other passengers will be released on a prisoner exchange with some of our arrested comrades by the government,” he said.
The bandits also disclosed that “the government suspended the resumption of the train service indefinitely because of our threats and we repeat, if our conditions are not met, the resumption of the train service is to the detriment of the government and the passengers.
“If the government decided not to respond, so be it. We are warning Nigerians, especially those that are patronizing the train that if this matter is not resolved peacefully, the day they decided to attack us or do anything funny, passengers or commuters should forget to use the train or follow the Abuja-Kaduna road because we will be consistent and they can’t stop us. We believe that you will deliver this message as it is.
“Therefore, we rely on you and urge you to convey this important message to everyone.”
Mamu, while responding to the terrorists said, “Time is not on our side, the government must understand that they are dealing with persons with a misguided ideology and tainted religious belief.
“These people are not scared of death; they seem to believe that they are martyrs when they die. It will be a serious mistake to take this threat lightly. I believe an opportunity has been created for us to explore to save the lives of those innocent victims.”
At the time of this report no independent confirmation from the spokesperson, Tukur Mamu as repeatedly calls and text to his phone line was not acknowledged.
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