Train attack: Released victims are mentally unstable, families revealed

 

Relativees of the kidnapped victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack have appealed to the Federal Government to step efforts to secure release of the remaining 50 hostages in hands of the terrorists.

 

 

The families said they were worried over the condition of the remaining captives.

They said the 11 of their relatives released by the abductors on Saturday were still hospitalised, traumatised and mentally unstable.

 

 

The family members spoke to journalists in Kaduna yesterday.

They praised the Federal Government and other stakeholders for their efforts in the rescue of the 11 passengers.

 

 

According to The Nation Online, terrorists bombed the train on March 28, shot and killed nine passengers and injured several others before whisking away 63 of the passengers.

 

 

 

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, chairman of the victims’ families in Kaduna, Dr Abdulfatah Jimoh, whose wife was among the freed 11, said some of the remaining 50 passengers in captivity are sick, while others are mentally unstable.

 

 

 

“Today being the 77th day after the abduction of our loved ones in the AK-9 Abuja-Kaduna Train, we are here to express our appreciation to God Almighty and thank Mr President, the Service Chiefs, and other Nigerians for their efforts at ensuring the release of 11 of our loved ones.

 

 

 

“We are also saying that we still have 50 of our loved ones in captivity and are praying that very soon, they will also be released and reunited with us.

 

 

“Those that were released are still receiving treatment in the hospital, they had gone through a lot of trauma for 77 days, mental trauma, psychological trauma and mental torture. They are mentally unstable. So, they are still recuperating. We hope very soon, they will come back to their normal selves.

 

 

“Some of those still in captivity are sick according to information available to us. So, we are appealing to the Federal Government to ensure they are rescued as soon as possible.

 

 

“Even those that are not physically sick are not in good mental status, so everyone in there needs to come out as soon as possible. We are hoping, praying and appealing that all of them are rescued in the shortest possible time,” Jimoh said.

 

 

Also one of the family members, Rakiya Lawal Othman whose sister was among the released 11 said she still has a brother among the 50 in the terrorists’ den.