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Families Paid N800m To Secure Release Of 7 Kaduna Train Captives

Published

4 years ago

July 11, 2022

The Seven Released Captives

Eight hundred million naira was paid to the terrorists holding captives seized from the AK9 train service attacked on the Abuja–Kaduna route before the additional seven victims were released on Saturday, some families of the victims and other sources knowledgeable of the deal told Daily Trust yesterday.

The released victims were among the dozens of passengers abducted on March 28 by gunmen who derailed the moving train.

No organisation has yet claimed responsibility for the attack but security sources and researchers attributed the daring attack to remnants of Boko Haram working in cahoots with members of the Darul Salam, another group mostly populated by Fulani youths dislodged from Niger and Nasarawa States at different times.

Some however attributed the attack to the Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) though, atypical of the group, they have not publicly laid claim to it.

The release of the seven victims came amid heightened fears that the terrorists would kill all those in their custody over the alleged failure of the federal government to respond to their demands.

On Tuesday, Daily Trust reported that the captors of the train passengers had sent an audio clip to victims’ families threatening to kill the captives if the families were unwilling to strike a deal with them.

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It was reliably gathered that families of each of the six Nigerian victims paid N100 million while the captors pegged the ransom for the Pakistani at N200 million which was also paid.

Our sources said the terrorists collected the ransom in naira and US dollars.

“Only N200 million was collected in naira, the remaining N600 million was paid in the equivalent of US dollars,” one of our sources said.

Those released were identified as Muhammad Daiyabu Paki, Bosede Olurotimi, Abubakar Zubairu, Alhassan Sule, Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, Aliyu Usman and Muhammad Abuzar Afzal, the Pakistani.

“All the families of the victims felt abandoned by the federal government and therefore had to pay for the release of their loved ones,” another source close to one of the released “The truth is that the FG is indifferent to our plight…Those in power don’t care if the captives are all killed.

“That is why we sold our property and raised the money. It is the same for the families of all those released. We all paid through our nose but Alhamdulillah, it is worth it,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that the lead negotiator for the release of the victims, Kaduna-based newspaper publisher, Tukur Mamu, had on Saturday announced that he secured the release of the seven abductees through mediation as he was silent on any ransom paid.

Mamu, a media consultant to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, had last week announced his withdrawal from negotiating with the terrorists due to the alleged government’s nonchalant attitude to the plight of the train abductees.

He, however, said he had to continue with the mediation because of immense pressure and appeal by the relations and loved ones of the victims.

Previously, the abductors had released three batches of the captives, including managing director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, a group of eleven victims and a pregnant woman released alone.

A security source told one of our correspondents that the federal government rarely secures the release of any captive.

“Government is not amenable to releasing terrorists in their custody because of some international convention.

“It is however sad that in Nigeria, while we don’t agree to prisoner swap most of the time, the terrorists always have their way as evident in the recent attack on Kuje Prison where many high profile terrorists were released.

“We don’t have the capacity to protect our prison facilities and we don’t have the capacity to protect the citizens. Hundreds of terrorists have been set free in various prisons…It is unfortunate,” he said.

How B/Haram members partnered bandits for train attack

One of the released captors had, at the weekend, painted sordid details of their journey to the terrorists’ den and life under the insurgents.

According to him, the attack on the train was a collaborative operation between the B/Haram elements who held them and some bandits familiar with the train.

“They entered into an alliance with the bandits so as to benefit from their numbers and their familiarity with the train. In fact, even the location where we were held in the forests around Birnin Gwari they told us it was not their territory, they got permission from some bandits to keep us there,” he said.

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The source, who craved anonymity, said the location where they were held was an open forest with only three huts within the vicinity.

“The men shared two huts while the women and kids used the other one. There were 20 of us in the hut I stayed in as of the time of our release on Saturday. They treated us fairly well without maltreating anyone, other than that first time they lashed us up when their leader called Malam Baffa came to see us immediately after we arrived.

“On some days they would slaughter a cow for us. The latest was the one they killed to celebrate the Sallah. They also preached to us every time either by themselves or through playing recorded preaching including by some prominent clerics,” he said.

‘Captors behind Kuje jailbreak, they jubilated on return’

The source also confirmed that the kidnappers of the travellers were the ones behind the jailbreak at Kuje Medium Security Correctional Centre on the outskirts of Abuja.

He said there was wild jubilation after the Tuesday night jailbreak when those who participated in the attack returned to their enclave with some of the freed prisoners.

The attack on the correctional centre led to the escape of hundreds of prisoners held in the facility, including at least 69 Boko Haram suspects, according to officials.

A day after the attack ISWAP claimed responsibility and released a 33-second video showing its men in action during the siege on the facility.

I saw hell in kidnappers’ den – FCT UBEB chair

FCT Director of the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), Dr Hassan Suleiman, who was among those released from the kidnappers’ den said that he did not pray that his worst enemy should experience what he went through in the hands of the terrorists.

Dr Suleiman, while narrating his experience in an audio message circulated on WhatsApp obtained by our reporter on Sunday, said, he went through the valley of death.

He recounted that he was on board the ill-fated train from Abuja to Kaduna to attend an agricultural education programme organised by the FCT UBEB, saying many were killed during the attack.

While thanking God for coming out safely from the kidnappers’ den after three months, Suleiman appreciated the people of the FCT, especially members of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS), as well as other well-wishers, for their prayers that led to his release.

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Court Adjourns Trial of Ex‑JAMB Registrar Ojerinde, Others

Published

4 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Dibu Ojerinde, former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)

Court Adjourns Trial of Ex‑JAMB Registrar Ojerinde, Others

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the trial of former JAMB Registrar Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, his children, and several corporate entities on charges of official corruption and abuse of office until April 30, 2026.

The matter was before Justice Mohammed Umar, but proceedings could not take place due to the judge’s absence on another official assignment. Consequently, the case was rescheduled for later in April.

Prof. Ojerinde, who previously served as Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), is being prosecuted alongside four of his children — Mary Ojerinde, Olumide Ojerinde, Adebayo Ojerinde, and Oluwaseun Ojerinde — as well as six companies linked to him.

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The companies named as co‑defendants in the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/119/2023, are: Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Limited, Cheng Marbles Limited, Sapati International Schools Limited, Trillium Learning Centre Limited, Standout Institutes Limited, and Esli Perfect Security Printers Limited.

The charges were filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and relate to alleged corruption and abuse of office during Prof. Ojerinde’s tenure as JAMB Registrar.

In addition to the current corruption trial, Ojerinde is facing a separate 18‑count charge alleging the diversion of funds during his time as Registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO) and later at JAMB. That matter is before a sister Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, and is scheduled to resume on March 25, 2026.

Legal experts say the multiplicity of charges reflects increased enforcement efforts by anti‑corruption agencies against high‑profile public officials accused of financial misconduct. Ojerinde’s legal team had sought additional time to prepare their defence, a request accommodated by the court’s adjournment.

The adjournment comes amid heightened public interest in accountability within Nigeria’s public institutions, particularly concerning the management of examination bodies and the oversight of funds in federally funded agencies.

Observers note that the outcome of the Ojerinde trials could set an important precedent for prosecuting alleged financial crimes by senior public servants, especially where family members and associated businesses are implicated.

Court Adjourns Trial of Ex‑JAMB Registrar Ojerinde, Others

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Troops Kill Five Kidnappers, Rescue Abducted Woman in Plateau

Published

4 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigerian military troops

Troops Kill Five Kidnappers, Rescue Abducted Woman

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have successfully neutralised five suspected kidnappers and rescued a woman who had been abducted in Plateau State, security officials confirmed on Wednesday. The operation, described as intelligence‑driven, took place at a criminal hideout in Angwan Boka, Sopp District, within the Riyom Local Government Area.

According to Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, spokesman for the Joint Military Task Force, the raid was prompted by actionable intelligence provided by two individuals apprehended on February 16, who were later identified as members of a local kidnapping syndicate. Troops swiftly mobilised to the hideout, where they engaged the kidnappers in a firefight, resulting in the death of five suspects and the safe rescue of the victim, identified as Hauwa Suleiman. She was found unharmed and has since been reunited with her family.

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During the operation, security forces also recovered evidence linking the suspects to criminal activities, including three mobile phones, ₦17,600 in cash, and substances suspected to be illegal drugs. Captain Oteh emphasised the importance of community cooperation in fighting crime, urging residents to provide credible information that would help security agencies locate and dismantle criminal networks. “Even though we will do our best, with credible and actionable information, we can know where criminal elements are and deal with them so that there will be peace,” he said.

Community members, including John Mairiga of Riyom, attested to the success of the raid and praised the troops for their swift intervention. Authorities described the operation as part of ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping, banditry, and violent crime across Plateau State and the broader Middle Belt region. The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that citizens can return to their farms and businesses without fear of attacks.

The operation underscores the growing effectiveness of intelligence‑led military operations in tackling organised crime in Nigeria and highlights the critical role of community engagement in supporting security agencies. Residents are encouraged to continue providing information to security operatives to sustain the momentum of peace and stability across affected areas.

Troops Kill Five Kidnappers, Rescue Abducted Woman

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Sowore Condemns Electoral Act 2026 as Threat to Nigeria’s Democracy

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4 hours ago

February 19, 2026

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Former Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore

Former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore

Sowore Condemns Electoral Act 2026 as Threat to Nigeria’s Democracy

Former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law, describing the legislation as a direct threat to Nigeria’s democratic integrity and the credibility of upcoming elections.

Reacting shortly after the signing ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, Sowore said the law was “designed to undermine and ultimately forbid free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria.” He urged citizens and civil society groups to actively oppose its provisions, warning that the legislation could erode hard-won democratic norms. “We must resist this assault on democracy,” he said. “They have dared the people. Now we must confront them, we must damn their impunity.”

President Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) around 5:00 p.m., in a ceremony attended by principal officers of the National Assembly. The law is intended to govern the conduct of elections ahead of the 2027 general elections, with presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for February 20, and governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections set for March 6.

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Sowore’s criticism reflects concerns from opposition politicians, civil society organisations, and legal analysts, who argue that some provisions of the amended law could weaken transparency and fairness in Nigeria’s elections. He pointed to clauses that may restrict political participation for smaller parties and independent candidates, limit judicial oversight in election disputes, and expand discretionary powers for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in ways that could centralise control and reduce accountability.

The activist’s remarks have reignited public debate, with supporters of the law arguing that the amendments are intended to streamline electoral processes, reduce frivolous litigation, and improve efficiency in Nigeria’s often protracted election system. Critics, however, warn that the law could be exploited to favour incumbents and entrenched political interests, potentially undermining the competitiveness of the 2027 elections. Civil society organisations have called for robust public education and, where necessary, judicial review to safeguard constitutional principles.

The Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) arrives at a critical juncture for Nigeria’s democracy. With general elections just months away, political tensions, party realignments, and security concerns are intensifying nationwide. Observers note that the legal framework governing elections will play a pivotal role in shaping public confidence in the process. Sowore’s call for resistance adds to growing voices urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and assertive in defending transparency and accountability in governance.