There are suggestions that the federal government has begun talks with the terrorists who attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train late last month.
The gunmen had killed eight people, injured 41, and kidnapped others.
Relatives of the kidnapped passengers told reporters in Kaduna yesterday that following the pressure they were exerting on the federal government, it had gone into talks with the terrorists on how to release those in captivity.
A spokesman for the victims’ relatives, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, said that in the sequel to the 72-hour ultimatum they gave the federal government to act on the fate of the abducted people, “we are happy that the government has started discussing with the abductors of our relatives.
“We indeed gave the Federal Government a 72-hour ultimatum which expired yesterday (Thursday) midnight,” he said.
“We are grateful to God that before the expiration of the 72 hours, we heard from the Federal Government after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday through the Minister of Information that the government is already on top of the situation with what has happened.
“We acknowledge it and we appreciate it. But what we want to add is that the government should speed up the process of discussion with them (bandits) so that they can release our people soonest. This is our appeal now.”
John also warned the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) against the proposed resumption of train services without first rescuing the kidnapped victims.
