The protesters who started the protest as early as 6 am lamented that the abductors demanded a ransom of N100 million for each of the victims, which they do not have, while those who even have the ransom were blocked from paying it to secure the freedom of their loved ones from the kidnappers’ den.
Family members of the abducted passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train on Monday morning besieged the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Abuja, demanding government intervention in the release of the victims.
The protesters who started the protest as early as 6 am lamented that the abductors demanded a ransom of N100 million for each of the victims, which they do not have, while those who even have the ransom were blocked from paying it to secure the freedom of their loved ones from the kidnappers’ den.
The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions including hashtag “#FreeKadunaTrainAttackVictims.” Some of the inscriptions read, “Mr. President please help us,” “President Buhari Pls help us,” “We hardly sleep with our two eyes closed,” “The victims are dying in captivity,” “Our blood pressure keeps on rising every day,” amongst others, demanding an urgent intervention from the Nigerian government.
Despite the early morning rain in the area, the protesters, made up of old men and women and youths vowed never to leave the ministry until they got assurances from the ministry or the government met their demands.
Speaking with BBC Pidgin, one of the protesters who simply identified himself as Aruwa, said, “I came here because of my sister who was inside that train that left Abuja for Kaduna. We are here at the Ministry of Transport because they are the ones in charge of everything.
“My sister was coming back from a wedding ceremony when they kidnapped from that train and took them into the bush and since the time they were kidnapped, the only thing we see yesterday is that they (the kidnappers) are threatening to kill them That is why we all gathered here to tell the ministry of transport so that they can tell the President to help us release these people.
“It has been very difficult for me. My sister is a mother of five and how we have been going with the children, only God is helping us. It is like a nightmare for us. We no longer sleep. Even to eat is difficult for us.
“We heard that some people contributed money to go and pay the kidnappers to release them but the security people stopped them from going.
“We don’t even have the money to pay. Where do we get N100 million? Even if I sell myself, I won’t get N100 million. They stopped the people who have the money from paying, we that don’t have the money, what is our fate? It means that if they (the kidnappers) make do with their threat, they will eliminate all our people.
“All we are begging the government is to come to our rescue. Let them come to the rescue of these our loved ones in that bush. Our hope lies with the government because we don’t have anywhere else to go. If the President wants to do something he can still do something. All the people in the federal government, you are hearing and seeing us and the punishment. Particularly, a two-year-old girl who is there and suffering under the rain and under the sun.
“We will be here, come rain, come sun. What we will eat, the government will provide for us but we will not leave here until we hear from the President himself.”
Other protesters lamented, asking the Nigerian government to secure the release of the victims who were kidnapped on March 28 this year when terrorists attacked the train bound for Kaduna from Abuja.