TheCable

Family members of passengers kidnapped in the attack on a Kaduna-bound train in March have asked the house of representatives to intervene and ensure the safe rescue of the abductees.

They made the plea on Wednesday when they visited some members of the lower legislative chamber at the national assembly.

The relatives, who were received by Bamidele Salam and Manu Masur on behalf of 11 other legislators who have been pushing for the release of the abductees, said one of the victims was shot on Wednesday.

Matilda Kabir, wife of one of the victims, said the government need to expedite action and secure the release of those in captivity.

“We are here to plead with the house of representatives. The news we are getting is not favourable. We are here to beg them to help us, it is not funny again. The news we got this morning is one person was shot,” distressed Kabir said.

“We don’t know who is next, my husband is there. We don’t know if it would be any other person. Nigerians should help, my husband is in captivity. They have been suffering; imagine sleeping and standing there for 94 days. We are going to a hundred days, please help us.”

Another relative, Aminu Uthman, who said his brother is in the kidnappers’ den, described the killing of one of the victims as “terrible news”.

“We are here to meet members of the house to continue pleading on efforts to release our family members because of the news we got this morning that one of the captives was shot. It is terrible news,” Uthman said.

“We are here to meet the right people to do the right thing to put more pressure on the FG and security agencies to do more to get the captives released. Every second is very important.”

In his response, Salam said the government is “in talks with the negotiators and middlemen” who engage directly with the abductors and that “we are very hopeful, that by the grace of God we would be able to get something tangible within the shortest possible time”.

“I must also add that the speaker (Femi Gbajabiamila) met with family members some weeks ago and he is on the matter. We are briefing him again on this matter to ensure he takes further steps to make government hasten to secure the release of the people,” he said.

On his part, Masur said legislators will “continue to put pressure” to ensure the victims are freed.

“We in the house would not stop. We share in their sorrow and pain, it is our commitment not to leave any stone unturned in our effort to ensure the victims are released unhurt,” he said.