Terrorists Were Paid N800m To Release Seven Abuja-Kaduna Train Captives – Sources

Sources have revealed to newsmen over the weekend that the sum of eight hundred million Naira was paid to the terrorists to secure the release of seven onboard members in the Abuja–Kaduna train attack in March 2022.

Naija News reported earlier that some newly rescued victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack were reunited with their families on Saturday.

The lead negotiator, Malam Tukur Mamu who is a Media consultant to a popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, confirmed the reunion in a statement on Sunday noting that the captives were happily reunited with their respective families in Kaduna.

Mamu while handing the victims to their respective families, urged Nigerians to give a thumbs up to the executive Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni for the crucial role he played that led to the freedom of the captives.

Vanguard, however, in a report quoted Mamu as saying that they only used the power of dialogue and persuasion during the negotiation, stating clearly that no ransom was paid to secure the release of the captives.

Reports made available by Daily Trust, however, contradicted Mamu’s claim as it quoted sources as saying that money was paid for the freedom of the captives.

It said that the families of each of the captives from Nigeria paid N100 million while the captors pegged the ransom for the Pakistani at N200 million which was also paid.

The sources, according to Daily Trust, confirmed that the terrorists collected the ransom in naira and US dollars.

“Only N200 million was collected in naira, the remaining N600 million was paid in the equivalent of US dollars,” the news outlet reported.

Those released were identified as Muhammad Daiyabu Paki, Bosede Olurotimi, Abubakar Zubairu, Alhassan Sule, Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, Aliyu Usman and Muhammad Abuzar Afzal, the Pakistani, Naija News understands.

“All the families of the victims felt abandoned by the federal government and therefore had to pay for the release of their loved ones,” one of the sources reportedly said.

Another said: “The truth is that the FG is indifferent to our plight…Those in power don’t care if the captives are all killed.

“That is why we sold our property and raised the money. It is the same for the families of all those released. We all paid through our nose but Alhamdulillah, it is worth it.”