No Kobo Was Paid For Release Of Abducted 23 Train Passengers – Minister

The minister of Transportation, Muazu Jaji Sambo, said no money was paid for the release of the kidnapped 23 Train passengers earlier abducted on the Abuja-Kaduna ill-fated train on March 28, 2022.

The minister, who stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, said the released passengers have already been reunited with their families after proper medical check-up and examination.

Sambo, who expressed happiness with the release of the victims safely, said the target of the government was to get them out safely and no ransom was paid for any of them.

On the plans for the resumption of train services on the Abuja-Kaduna line, the minister said, “We have long term and short term plans for securing the rail line and operations will resume soon.”

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He said the short-term process will be put in place within a period of three months for the train service on Abuja-Kaduna rail line.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has said the service on the Abuja-Kaduna line will be restored soon.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP on phone, the spokesperson of the NRC, Yakubu Mahmood, said: “we will resume soon by God’s grace.”

Recall that on May 16, bandits released one pregnant passenger on compassionate ground; June 11, the bandits released 11 victims.

On July 9, the bandits released seven hostages; on July 25, three more Abuja-Kaduna train passengers were released.

In the month of August, specifically on August 2, the bandits released four more Kaduna-Abuja train victims; while on August 10, the bandits released seven more kidnapped train passengers

Finally on October 5, Prof. Usman Yusuf, secretary of the Chief of Defense Staff Action Committee (CDSAC) announced the release of the remaining 23 passengers.