Freed train victim recounts ordeal, pities those still in captivity

One of the kidnapped victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, Hassan Uthman, says he pities those still being held because they were thoroughly beaten by the terrorists.

He stated this while recounting his ordeal in captivity in an interview with the BBC Hausa.

Uthman said last Friday their relations attempted to rescue them but the government did not allow them to proceed on the journey.

He said the relations made a second attempt on Monday and were successful in rescuing three of them from captivity.

” The government has failed in providing security for life and property. It has failed to rescue us.”

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“I don’t know whether ransom was paid to rescue us,” he said.

He recalled that they were initially sleeping on the bare ground in the thick forest before they were provided with mats.

Uthman said, “When the rain started; they erected makeshift shelters for us. They fed us according to their capacity. At times, they even slaughtered cattle and sheep for us. Even yesterday they slaughtered a cow and we ate; we thank Allah.

“Because of the government’s attitude, they were angered and they thoroughly beat us. We were severely flogged and that was just the beginning. This makes me to pity those that are still with them in the forest.”

He said he could not locate the forest where they were kept, adding that since the Federal Government had failed to rescue them for the past four months, the international community should come in and rescue the remaining victims.