Publisher of Desert Herald and media consultant to Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, Tukur Mamu in Saturday, said he secured the release of seven passengers kidnapped by terrorists from the March 28 Abuja-Kaduna train attack in Kaduna state.
Himself a member of the negotiating team, Mamu told ChannelsTV that the kidnap victims were released based on the team’s dialogue and negotiation with the terrorists.
Although he did not say if ransom was paid or not before the terrorists released the victims, he gave their names as follows:
Sadiq Abdullahi, son of the Chairman of Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi; Bosede Olurotimi, Abubakar Zubairu, Alhassan Sule, Muhammad Daiyabu Paki, Aliyu Usman and the only foreign national of Pakistani origin, Dr. Muhammad Abuzar Afzal.
Mamu disclosed that the seven freed hostages, who he said he singlehandedly facilitated and initiated their release with support from Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, have been handed over to the military and that they were in their way to Kaduna.
“That is why I keep emphasising that government has the power to end the agony of this innocent victims in one day.
“This is just one individual that sacrifice his life and even integrity. There is no military solution to the current security debacle in Nigeria. When you sincerely engage them this guys even though wicked with misguided religious beliefs, they are listening. I have sufficient evidence to probe that they due listen. It is this power of engagement and sincerity that resulted to the release of this 7 victims,” he said.
Mamu thanked the General Officer Commanding 1 Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army for the support during the negotiation and the subsequent release of the hostages.
“The location they (abductors) gave is remote, sensitive and risky. There was a military checkpoint before penetrating the forest. My team was stopped by the soldiers but when they told the military our mission they contacted the GOC and he immediately gave approval for them to proceed. And after the victims were successfully evacuated, travelling through over 40 kilometers in the forest, they were given a military escort back to Kaduna at the checkpoint.”
