The terrorists who abducted passengers on board a Kaduna-bound train March 28 have vowed to kidnap President Muhammadu Buhari, Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai, governors and other prominent leaders.
In a new video released Sunday morning, the criminals threatened they would kill some of the remaining captives in their custody, sell some and keep others as slaves if government fails to pay ransom in the next one week.
One of the terrorists, who spoke on behalf of the group, said they never intended keeping their victims beyond one week but for the refusal of the government to meet their demands.
“This is our message to the government of Nigeria and just as you have seen these people here, by God grace, you will see your leaders; your senators and governors will come before us.
“These ones you are seeing here, we will keep some as our slaves and sell them off just as our Imam told you in the past.
“Just like the Chibok girls that were sold off, we will equally sell these ones as slaves. If you don’t adhere to our demands, we will kill the ones we need to kill and sell the remaining. By God’s grace, El-Rufai, Buhari, we will bring you here,” one of the terrorists who spoke on behalf of the group further said.
In the video, the captives were seen being severely flogged by their captors who were visibly annoyed that the government was not making any move to pay any ransom as demanded.
Midway into the video, the victims, who spoke through one of them, were heard pleading with the Nigerian government and the international community to intervene in their case as the terrorists gave them just one-week ultimatum before they start slaughtering them if the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government refused to yield to their demands.
Previous demands
This is not the first time the kidnappers had threatened to kill the victims. On numerous occasions, the terrorists warned that they would kill their captives if their demands were not met.
The last time they issued such a threat, it took the intervention of Tukur Mamu who is also a media aide to Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi for them to back down on their threats.
Mamu’s efforts also led to the release of some of the captives.
However, Mamu reportedly vowed to back out of negotiations with the terrorists as the government was not forthcoming on the need to open up channels of discussions with the abductors for the release of the victims.
FG dealing with propaganda – Presidency
But in its reaction to the terror threat, the federal government said it was ready to deal with the current spate of terror attacks and propaganda.
The Presidency, in a statement Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said: “Terrorists activity using propaganda and violence to force governments to accept or submit to political demands is not new all over the world.”
He said the country’s security and defence forces were not clueless or helpless and that they have their plans and ways of doing things which would not be revealed to the media.
“The dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists are manifold: punitive action like the popular call for carpet bombing of the known locations may assuage the desire of an angry public for revenge, but what about the hostages? They have committed no offense. All they did was to board a train.
“It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities and what the nation expects of them.
Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support.
“Terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought by all actors- the military, the civilian population and the communication service providers. This is the only way safe havens of terrorists are eliminated in every part of the world.
“To help the nation against ongoing situation, the media must increase their support for the fight against the exploitation of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes,” the statement said.
‘5,222 killed in 6 months’
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST) has said no fewer than 5,222 Nigerians were killed in various violent crimes across the country between January and June 2022.
A report published Saturday by the NST, a pet project of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) of the United States, showed that most of the killings were carried out by non-state actors including terrorists, bandits, kidnap gangs and other criminals.
The NST data tracks violence in all parts of Nigeria and based on weekly surveys of local and international media.
It said the death figures were as a result of Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east, banditry in the North-west, Fulani herdsmen violence in the North-central and secessionist uprisings in the South-east.
A breakdown of the figure as released by the NST, showed 996 Nigerians were violently killed in January, 765 in February, 1,214 in March, 917 in April, 594 in May while 736 were killed in the month of June, bringing the total to 5,222 in the first half of the year
Afenifere kicks against Okada ban
In a related development, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization-Afenifere-has faulted plans by the federal government to ban commercial motorcycles and mining activities to curb insecurity in the country.
National Publicity Secretary of the group, Comrade Jare Ajayi, who made the position known, Sunday, said the plan was another indication of the type of decisions usually arrived at in the nation’s corridors of power.
The group said: “Government was wrong on its limiting logistical sources of terrorists to mining and commercial motorcycling. It is hardly surprising therefore that its prescription is so fatally wrong!”
“The plan by the federal government to ban commercial motorcycle and mining activities purportedly to curb insecurity is another evidence that deep or scientific thinking does not characterise how decisions are arrived at in the corridors of power”, it said.
Afenifere added:”Motorcycle riding and mining had been in existence long before terrorism reared its head. So these could not have been the leif motif of terrorism.
“To suppose that banning these activities would put a stop to terrorism is not only a wishful thinking; it amounts to an induced self-delusion that can only complicate the ailment that one is suffering from. Pursuing that line is leaving the substance to chase the shadow.
“While conceding that terrorists are using motorcycles in their dastardly acts, if motorcycles are not available, they would use some other means. Thus, the vehicle being used by terrorists is not what government should focus its attention on but making sure that terrorism is taking out of the hearts of its perpetrators.
“We in Afenifere have said it repeatedly that government has not demonstrated that it is serious about combating terrorism. Various reports in the public domain have repeatedly indicated where those who are perpetrating evil against the country are and the methods they are using.
“Government and its security agencies are even privy to better information than the ones in the public domain. Yet, the government and its agencies still found it difficult to deal with the situation as it should. We believe that this is not due to lack of capacity. Rather, it is due to lack of will which is not in the interest of anybody, except those who have chosen the evil part. They must remember however that they cannot escape the wroth of God, even if they kept manipulating situations here.
“The federal government should put an end to the kid-glove treatment it is giving terrorists, empower and allow security agencies to do their jobs professionally. It should also allow state governments that are so prepared to establish their police forces within the federal system of government that we are practicing,” the Yoruba group further said.
Troops rescue 22 in Niger
Similarly, security forces weekend rescued 22 villagers abducted by terrorists , who invaded Kuchi community in Munya local government area of Niger state.
The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, confirmed this in a statement in Minna.
He said: “On Friday, 22nd July, 2022, Security Forces in Niger State, acting upon a distress call that armed bandits/terrorists invaded Kuchi, a community in Munya LGA and kidnapped locals. Security Forces mobilized to the scene, engaged the terrorist and rescued all 22 victims after a fierce gun fight.”
He said during the invasion, the criminals kidnapped men, women and infants, all of whom were taken to their hideouts.
Umar also said the security forces mobilised for a manhunt and engaged the terrorists within the river line of Dangunu axis.
“During the encounter, the terrorists scampered into the overflowed river and forest belt, abandoning their victims and some of their items and equipment, which were recovered.
“All the victims have been debriefed and reunited with their families. However, one of the victims is currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds in a government medical facility,” the commissioner further said.
He commended security agencies and community leaders towards mitigating the spate of insecurity in some parts of the state.
Umar further called on all citizens, especially health service providers within these communities to be vigilant and immediately report to relevant authorities any strange or suspicious person loitering in their communities in a manner fatigued and or with gunshot wounds.
