By Aminu Kutama
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently in a meeting with families of the kidnapped passengers of the Abuja – Kaduna Train, at the State House, Abuja.
The meeting, which was announced by the presidency via its official Twitter handle, comes a day after seven more kidnapped passengers of the March 28 train attack in Kaduna state regained their freedom, on Wednesday.
The victims, whom were released on Wednesday morning after spending 135 days in the custody of the terrorists, consist of six of members of the same family, which include a couple and their four children.
So far, 42 victims have regained their freedom. The number of those still in captivity now stands at 35.
Gunmen had on March 28 blown up the rail track, killing some and abducting scores of passengers, a situation that called for serious concern about the safety of the nation’s trains.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in June directed increased efforts toward rescuing kidnapped railway passengers still in custody and bringing the case to a close. In a statement on behalf of the president, Garba Shehu, a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said upon the President’s approval, rescue efforts are taking a two-lane approach, the kinetic and non-kinetic, to ensure the captives’ safe release.
“President Buhari welcomes the return of the recently released passengers back to their families and loved ones, while expressing his solemn commitment to the families of those still in captivity, assuring that there will be no let-up until they are reunited with their families in the shortest time possible.”
