Terrorists who abducted passengers after attacking a Kaduna-bound train from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on March 28, 2022, have released three more persons, after months in captivity.
The victims, who consist of two males and a female, secured their freedom around 11 am on Monday.
This newspaper gathered that they were released by the terrorists at a location inside the forest along the Kaduna – Abuja highway. From there, they were picked up by their relatives.
So far, 22 victims have regained their freedom.
It is however not clear if any money was paid to the terrorists to release their abducted victims.
With the release of the three victims, the number of those still in captivity now remains at 40.
Gunmen had on March 28 blown up the rail track, killing some and abducting scores of passengers, a situation that called for serious concern about the safety of the nation’s train.
Worried about the situation, the Nigeria Railway Corporation temporarily suspended activities, with President Muhammadu Buhari directing security agencies to rescue the victims.
On Sunday, the terrorists released a viral video where they were seen flogging their hostages. They also threatened to abduct President Buhari and Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
The presidency reacted to the threat hours after, accusing the insurgents of using propaganda to compel the government to yield to their demands.