Details of How Gumi’s Spokeman Convinced Bandits To Release 11 Kidnapped Train Passengers, After Heavy Negotiations Between FG And Terrorists
The Media Consultant to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and ‘Dan Iyan Fika, Malam Tukur Mamu has said that 11 kidnapped train passengers have been released on Saturday by the terrorists.
It was earlier reported how Mamu acted as middle man and lead negotiator between the Federal Government and the terrorists who they trusted could deliver their exact messages to the government.
Mamu however said that contrary to their earlier commitment to release all the women in their custody, a total number of 11 victims were released on Saturday.
” The released 6 females and 5 males. They include Jessy John, Amina Ba’aba Mohammed , Rashida Yusuf Busari, Hannah Ajewole ,Amina Jibril, Najib Mohammed Daiharu, Gaius Gambo, Hassan Aliyu, Peace A. Boy and Danjuma Sa’idu.”
Journalists gathered that the male victims were released on health ground as part of the request made by the negotiating team while the women who were among the vulnerable were part of the agreement reached with the terrorists.
According to a source, ” it was expected initially that all the abducted women will be released in the first batch while negotiations for the release of the remaining victims will continue but according to another source that was privy to Saturday’s engagement with the abductors, they decided to cut down the number of women they initially agreed to release because of FG’s demand to include those with life threatening injuries/illnesses among the ones they released.”
“The abductors have initially insisted that the only condition they will accept to start negotiating the release of their victims is when government release their teenage children unconditionally but Mamu insisted that no government will accept such bargain as they must also show signs of good will and make acceptable compromises too by way of releasing some of the victims,” the source added.
Asked to give the full and exact details of the process that led to the release of the 11 victims,Mamu said that disclosing everything will jeopardize ongoing negotiations to release the remaining victims and may even endanger their safety.
“We have succeeded in building confidence now, we will do everything to sustain it in the interest of the innocent victims that are still in captivity. It’s a painful and frustrating process but it must be done if we are to secure the precious lives of the remaining victims”
“The good news is our collective efforts have succeeded in securing the release of 11 of the victims so far. With the continued support of the FG all the remaining victims will be release soon Insha Allah.”
“President Buhari must be commended for understanding the gravity of the crisis and for giving directives to the security agencies. The CDS, Gen. Irabo has done excellently well under the circumstance. The Army and the DSS have played the crucial role. There is no military solution to this predicament”.
“But behind the scene, Sheikh Gumi by Allah’s will made it possible. He was involved from the day I started. In fact, I accepted that role because of his directives to that effect. Even the final arrangement of how and the safest place to get the victims was arranged and coordinated by him”.
