Four children and three adults have been released after spending 135 days in captivity, following their abduction on the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna AK9 train.
The Quest Times reports that the victims were released on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, following the intervention of notable Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.
The recent development was revealed in a statement by Tukur Mamur, a Kaduna-based publisher who has been involved in the negotiation to free the kidnapped passengers.
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He said, “Disturbed by the gory videos images of four teenage children belonging to the same family he saw in the last video released by the attackers of the AK9 Train, Sheikh Dr Ahmad Gumi for the first time since the abduction of the innocent passengers of that train over 4 months ago, has reached out to the abductors through his Media Consultant, sent Allah’s messages to them and consistently pleaded with them to consider the release of the poor children and their innocent parents.
“It was learnt that the health condition of two of the teenage children has deteriorated since the flogging incident that affected their helpless father. A total of additional 7 hostages were therefore released on Wednesday.
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“The husband of the four kids is a staff of the National Assembly Commission. There was no intervention from the Commission or NASS on his behalf since the travails begun.
“This is to confirm to the world that due to Sheikh Gumi’s efforts and with the support of a serving Senator from the North, (a God-fearing personality that doesn’t have any relationship with the hostages) who chose to remain anonymous that all the family of six have regained their freedom on Wednesday morning. Also released is a 60-year-old woman, Hajia Aisha Hassan who was said to have been released due to life-threatening health challenges that deteriorated recently.”