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By Emmanuel Adeleke
Family members of those kidnapped in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack have vowed to stop the resumption of train service, following repair works recently completed on the rail tracks.
The aggrieved family members disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja, on Monday.
Mrs. Zara Aliyu, who spoke on behalf of the families, said they would not allow the train service to resume operation on the route until the release of their loved ones
She criticised the Federal Government for paying lip service to their predicament.
Aliyu also called on the government to put adequate security measures in place to guarantee the safety of prospective passengers.
The family members accused Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of being insensitive for running around a stadium in Port Harcourt while declaring his presidential ambition recently, instead of working towards rescuing the victims.
“We are the families of abducted passengers of NRC AK9 Abuja- Kaduna bound train attacked on March 28, 2022.
“Today marks the 42nd day our loved ones have been held hostage. It has been 42 long days of living in fear, virtually no sleep, no bath, wearing the same clothes under the scorching sun and rain and being exposed to extreme environmental hazards.
”The emotional psychology, mental and physical torture arising from these conditions are only imaginable.
”We read in the news that one of the two pregnant women in captivity delivered her baby in the forest. Giving birth is supposed to be a moment of joy, how would it have been if this woman delivered her baby in the comfort of a maternity ward? ” Aliyu said.
She added that the family members were disappointed with the non-chalant attitude of Amaechi to the plight of the victims.
Aliyu noted that the Nigerian Railway Corporation failed to contact them a week after the presidential directive was issued that the management should establish a situation room to give updates on the efforts being made to rescue the victims.
They families urged called the National Assembly to prevail on the relevant security agencies to ensure the safety and rescue of their loved ones.
Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation had last week announced that repair works on the damaged rail tracks have been completed and was making preparations to resume train operations on same route.
Amaechi had in a statement confirmed that the Abuja-Kaduna train service will resume on July 29.