The children were among 65 passengers abducted including their parents
Four children and three adults among the passengers abducted on a Kaduna-bound train in March 2022 have been released.
The children were among 65 passengers abducted including their parents when the terrorists bombed the rail track, killing eight passengers and injuring several others on March 28, 2022.
A Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamur, who negotiated the release of some of the passengers, announced on Wednesday in a statement that the children and their parents were released after the intervention of Sheik Ahmad Gumi.
He said, “Disturbed by the gory videos images of four teenage children belonging to same family he saw in the last video released by the attackers of the AK9 Train, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi for the first time since the abduction of the innocent passengers of that train over 4 months ago has reached out to the abductors through his Media Consultant, sent Allah’s messages to them and consistently pleaded with them to consider the release of the poor children and their innocent parents.
"It was learnt that the health condition of two of the teenage children has deteriorated since the flogging incident that affected their helpless father. A total of additional 7 hostages were therefore released on Wednesday.
“The husband of the four kids is a staff (member) of the National Assembly Commission. There was no intervention from the Commission or NASS on his behalf since the travails begun.
“This is to confirm to the world that due to Sheikh Gumi’s efforts and with the support of a serving Senator from the North, (a God-fearing personality that doesn’t have any relationship with the hostages) who chose to remain anonymous that all the family of six have regained their freedom on Wednesday morning. Also released is a 60-year-old woman, one Hajia Aisha Hassan who was said to have been released due to life-threatening health challenges that deteriorated recently.”
The names of the six family members that were released include Abubakar Idris Garba, who is the father of the four kids; his wife, Maryama Abubakar Bobbo and their eldest son, Ibrahim Abubakar Garba, who is 10 years old.
Others were identified as Fatima Abubakar Garba, who is seven; Imran Abubakar Garba, five, the youngest among them, Zainab Abubakar Garba, who is said to be one and a half years old.
The husband, Abubakar is the son of Maj. Gen. Idris Garba (rtd).
Garba was the military governor of Benue from 1987 to 1988 and Governor of Kano State from 1989 to 1992 during the regime of Nigerian dictator, Ibrahim Babangida.