The 27 remaining passenger captives of the March 28, 2022 bombing and abduction of the Abuja-Kaduna train are still being held by the captors and not yet released, the former negotiator and publisher of Kaduna-based newspaper, Malam Tukur Mamu (Dan-Iyan Fika) has said.
In a Press Statement he personally signed on Tuesday, Mamu that any of such reports of release is “fake news,” imploring President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify efforts to secure their release as the situation with the captives “remains highly unpredictable.”
The full statement reads: “This is to confirm without doubt that the remaining 27 passengers of the train attack are still being held by their abductors, nearly 5 months after the unfortunate and preventable incidence.
“Though I have disengaged myself from negotiating, anxious family members, pressmen and concerned Nigerians have been calling to confirm the veracity of the news while many others justifiably have been celebrating and even congratulating relatives of the innocent victims.
“While it is a news we are all praying earnestly to hear, it is highly irresponsible for peddlers of FAKE NEWS to circulate sensitive contents that are not only unverifiable, untrue but news items that will certainly trigger anxiety and concerned amongst the family members of those that remained in captivity and millions of their well wishers across the globe.
“The condition of the remaining victims is still very bad, many of them are sick, the raining season is affecting them so much.
“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify efforts in securing their release immediately as the situation remains highly unpredictable while the families of those that are still in the bush are incapacitated in whatever way to negotiate the safe release of their loved ones.”