President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight at the safe return of the remaining 23 kidnapped train passengers held in captivity since March.
Buhari said his administration reluctantly ignored suggestions to deploy lethal force to rescue the abducted passengers because they could not guarantee minimal collateral.
Boko Haram terrorists around 4 pm on Wednesday released the remaining captives.
Some terrorists on March 28 attacked the Kaduna-bound train, killing about 10 passengers and kidnapping scores of others.
The Secretary of the Chief of Defence Staff Action Committee (CDSAC), Prof. Usman Yusuf in a statement on Wednesday disclosed that the kidnap victims had been released.
He said the “seven-man Presidential Committee assembled by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General L.E.O. Irabor secured the release and took custody of all the 23 remaining passengers held hostage by Boko Haram terrorists following the attack on the Abuja to Kaduna train on 28-3-2022”.
Buhari later on Wednesday in a series of tweets, said, "I welcome, with much happiness, the safe release of the remaining 23 kidnapped train passengers held in captivity by Boko Haram terrorists. Like the entire nation, I am delighted by this news, and we are all grateful to the military and other security agencies.
"We have received & evaluated several suggestions about the deployment of lethal military force to rescue the abducted train passengers. However, with no guarantee of a successful outcome and of minimal collateral damage, that course of action has had to be reluctantly discarded.
"It is understandable that emotions typically run high at times like this. We’re just as keen to bring this sad chapter to an end, but we are also determined to safely return all the remaining victims to their families. My primary concern is to get everyone released SAFE & UNHURT.
"Our nation's Armed Forces, and all other security and intelligence agencies, are as good as any. Given the needed support and encouragement, as we have been doing, there is no task that they cannot accomplish. I commend them for this remarkable outcome.
"I congratulate and rejoice with the families of the victims for having them back alive.
"I have made it very clear to our security and intelligence agencies that the ongoing momentum being experienced in the fight against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping must be sustained at all times, across the country. We must continue to work to secure every inch of our land."