Kaduna train attack: Despite claiming to reject money, terrorists received N100m to free victim, as senator calls action ‘absolute rubbish’

Despite claiming not wanting money in exchange for the release of abducted passengers of the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna shuttle train attacked, Monday night, the terrorists have reportedly pocketed N100 million ransom to free one of their hostages, Alwan Hassan, the Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture.

This is as former senator representing Kaduna Central at the National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, Thursday, slammed the terrorists for their action in abducting passengers on the train, last Monday, as he called it ‘absolute rubbish.’

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed that 22 passengers on the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna shuttle train attacked by terrorists, Monday night of March 28, were abducted by the attackers.

Eight people were confirmed killed and 26 others injured in the attack, with over 100 unaccounted for.

 It would be recalled that a Kaduna-bound train, which left Abuja 6pm on last week Monday, was attacked by suspected terrorists around 7.45 pm, with just 15 minutes drive left for it to arrive Kaduna.

The terrorist had reportedly planted explosives believed to be IEDs on the rail track around Katari, Kaduna state which caused the Kaduna-bound train to derail from track.

It was gathered that the train which took off around 6 pm from the Idu train station at the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on Monday hit an explosive device about 30 minutes to Rigasa train station in Kaduna.

However, Managing Director of NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria, in a statement, said 146 of the confirmed 362 passengers onboard the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train are unreachable six days after the train was attacked by terrorists.

He, however, said the number of safe passengers had risen to 186.

Okhiria said 51 phone numbers on the manifest are either switched off or unreachable since Tuesday morning and 35 phone numbers on the manifest are ringing, but no response from the other end.

He also noted that 60 phone numbers on the manifest when called, responded non-existent.

The NRC boss clarified that 22 persons are reported missing by their relatives and eight persons were confirmed dead.

The terrorists had declared in a video posted by the assailants on Wednesday that the government knew what they wanted and threatened to murder the victims if their demands were not granted.

The video was created in response to the release of one of the victims, Mr Alwan Hassan, Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture.

According to one of the terrorists, who spoke in Hausa, the MD was freed owing to his age and in the spirit of Ramadan.

“We are the group that recently abducted passengers on the train. Among them is this man that has been pleading with us due to his old age and we felt pity on him because of the month of Ramadan, so, we want to give him back to his family,” they said in the video.

Another bandit, who was amongst others in military uniform, concurred with what their leader said, and asked the FG not to investigate them, else, the victims will be killed.

He said, “I want to reiterate that what he said is true. Don’t try to try to investigate us immediately or to rescue them because killing them is not an issue for us.

“We don’t want your money, if we wanted money, we wouldn’t have carried out the attack. You know what we want”.

However, upon the release of the Bank of Agriculture’s Managing Director, Hassan, reports emerged that the terrorists had received N100 million from the family of Hassan to free the bank boss who was abducted during the attack on the train, Monday night.

A source close to the family said Ali-Hassan was released after paying a ransom of N100 million.

The terrorists had initially demanded a ransom of N200 million.

The source added that a mansion belonging to the BOA boss was sold to raise the money.

“They sold his house for millions to pay his ransom. They collected N100 million, though they initially asked for N200 million.

“The house was sold for more than N100 million but we are happy he is back with us. According to him, those who abducted him were not normal Fulani bandits but Boko Haram members judging by their accent,” the source said.

Reacting to the terrorists’ claim of not demanding money, Senator Sani berated the gunmen responsible for the attack for attempting to hide under religion.

Sani who described the terrorists as Godless said they can’t be shedding the blood of innocent people and at the same time using Ramadan or God’s name to try and create public sympathy for their devilish acts.

The former lawmaker said this on Thursday while reacting to claims by the terrorists in a video that they released one of their victims, Alwan Ali-Hassan in the spirit of Ramadan and his old age after he pleaded with them.

Taking to his verified Twitter handle (@ShehuSani), the senator called the claim by the terrorists as ‘absolute rubbish.’

“The video footage of Terrorists claiming kind gesture because of “Fasting month of Ramadan” is absolute rubbish. You can’t shed the blood of innocent people and kidnap hostages for ransom and use the name of Allah or Ramadan to colour your heinous atrocities. Godless!”

While condemning the incident, the Nigerian Senate during plenary last week, called on the Army and Air Force to, as a matter of urgency, bombard terrorist enclaves across the country to restore peace and stability.

The call formed part of the resolution reached at the plenary on the continuing attacks on communities and public facilities in Kaduna State.

In a motion moved by Sen. Uba Sani (APC- Kaduna), the lawmaker who said that terrorists had in recent times increased attacks on communities and public facilities in Kaduna, informed that the latest attacks took place in some communities in Giwa Local Government, including Angwan Sarki Yahya, Tashar Shari, Bare-Bari, Tsaunin Natal, Dillalai, Durumi and Jatin Kanwa, all in Yakawada Ward.

“They killed 50 persons and kidnapped over 100 people. They also made strategic roads in Giwa Local Government no go areas.

“Not done with their devilish acts, they made an attempt to penetrate the Kaduna International Airport. Although the attack was foiled by vigilant security operatives, one person lost his life.

When people were trying to come to grips with a week-long wanton destruction of lives and property, the terrorists struck again.

“The train derailed after the first wave of attacks. Grenades and RPG were used. They rained bullets on all the coaches and some passengers were killed, while many sustained bullet wounds,” he noted.

Sani explained that the establishment of state police would bring law enforcement closer to the people.

Contributing, Sen. Gabriel Suswam (PDP-Benue) said that Kaduna state had become the new theatre of insecurity, adding that the lingering activities of terrorists in the state made it imperative for the appropriate authorities to take decisive action.

Suswam attributed the inability of the military to curtail growing incidents of terrorism to a clear failure of leadership.

Sen. Danjuma La’ah (PDP-Kaduna) said if the security situation in the country was not nipped in the bud, political leaders would become the main targets of terrorists.

The senate urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to declare full scale war against terrorists, to fully secure all national territory, further directing security agencies to take steps to prevent the occurrence of similar incidence in the future.

It added that the military should monitor the inhabitants of new shanties around the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.