Gunmen Release three Hostages

Breaking: Gunmen Release three Abuja - Kaduna Train Hostages 

ZAINAB JUNAID 

Terrorists have released another three victims of the hostages held captive from the attacked Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28. 

The victims, who are two males and a female, got their freedom around 11 am on Monday, and this makes the total victims released so far add up to 22 from the 62 earlier captured, while the number still in their captivity remains at 40. 

This development followed a protest held on Monday morning by family members of the remaining kidnapped passengers at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Abuja, calling on the government to help rescue their loved ones, who have spent 117 days in captivity. 

However, the terrorists over the weekend were seen in a viral video on social media, ill treating the hostages by flogging them with sticks and threatening to abduct President Muhammad Buhari as well as Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El- Rufai. 

In the eleven-minute video released, the victims were seen appealing to the international community such as the United Nations, African Union and Saudi Arabia to come to their aid since according to them, the Nigerian government has failed to rescue them from the hands of the terrorists.

Meanwhile, the presidency had on Sunday reacted to their video threat hours after, challenging the insurgents of using propaganda to compel the government to yield to their demands.

In a statement, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammad Buhari Garba Shehu, said security forces are not helpless in controlling the high rate of insecurity confronting the country.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Garba Shehu said President Muhammadu Buhari has been supporting security agencies by boosting their morale and providing the needed equipment.

He said, “The Presidency, in the meantime wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all, and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate.”