The terrorists also boasted that they would destroy the country, kill or sell the remaining passengers in their custody.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Terrorists who have been wreaking havoc in all the nooks and crannies of the country got more daring on Sunday, threatening to abduct President Muhammadu Buhari, even as they mercilessly flogged victims they took from the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna bound train since March.
The terrorists made their intention known in a new video they released on Sunday.
Apparently emboldened by their unchallenged escapades and successful raid on the Kuje Correctional Centre where they set free more than 60 of their fighters, the terrorists said they will now go after Buhari himself.
This is coming only a few weeks after they attacked a convoy of an advance team of the president on its way to Buhari’s hometown of Daura, Katsina State ahead of Sallah.
Two persons sustained injuries in the attack, which the presidency said was repelled.
The attack on the convoy happened on the day when the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) invaded Kuje Prison in Abuja and freed over 800 inmates, including all the terrorists in detention.
The train abductors jubilated when the Kuje inmates were released.
In the new video, the terrorists who abducted over 60 passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, threatened to abduct and kill Buhari and Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.
The terrorists also boasted that they would destroy the country, kill the remaining passengers in their custody and sell out the others.
Some passengers were recently released after reportedly paying N100 million each.
At least eight people were killed in the attack, including a youth leader of the ruling APC, Amin Mahmoud, a medical doctor, Chinelo Megafu Chinelo, and the secretary-general, of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Barrister Musa Lawal-Ozigi.
In the eleven-minute video released by the insurgents, the male victims were separated from the women, after which they were flogged mercilessly with make-shift canes.
In the video, one of the terrorists threatened that unless the government complies with their demands, they would turn the area into an abattoir.
“This is our message to the government of Nigeria and just as you have seen these people here, by God’s grace, you will see your leaders; your senators and governors will come before us. These ones you are seeing here, we will keep some as our slaves and sell them off just as our Imam told you in the past,” he said.
The remaining victims were shown crying and wailing due to severe flogging by the terrorists.
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An inconsolable woman was seen screaming at her captors saying “This is all you can do. You will not end well for humiliating us like this. God will bring an end between us. What did we do to you?”
But an elderly woman amongst the captives was shown crying and pleading to the authorities to come to their immediate rescue, saying they don’t know what they’ve done to deserve such inhuman treatment.
One of the captives who appeared so weak and distressed, spoke in Hausa on behalf of other victims, alleging that the government was insensitive to their plight.
According to him, ”I am one of those involved in the train mishap. That train belonged to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The government has the responsibility to rescue us, but has failed.
“We called on our relations who were willing to rescue us but the Nigerian government due to being insensitive to our plight did not allow our relations to rescue us.
“This is why we are calling on the big nations of the world such as England, America, France and the remaining international community, the likes of Saudi Arabia, to intervene in this matter with a view to finding a solution.
“Truly, these people (terrorists), their intention was not for us to even spend one week in captivity. They wanted their demands to be met so that they release us. But Nigeria showed no concern over this matter, showing no care.
“We are therefore calling on these big nations of the world, France, Saudi Arabia, England and America, the international community, ECOWAS, AU, they should please help and intervene in this matter.
“They should come and help us so that a solution could be reached that will enable us reunite with our families,” he said.
Amidst wailing and crying from the terribly beaten captives, one of the terrorists said in Hausa that the Nigerian government should be blamed.
The terrorist wielding an AK 47 rifle, who was flanked by his colleagues all armed with some having their faces covered, said that what was happening was the result of what a bad mother ( Nigeria) had caused her children.
They also claimed that one of the escapees of the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Kuje, Abuja had rejoined them in the forest.
The terrorist said, ”You should understand, look properly it’s not our intention to, but it’s the outcome of what the Nigerian government is doing, setting a committee, a tea party in Kaduna to deliberate on how to rescue these people. They are there, enjoying the tea.
“You should know that there is nothing that the committee can do. They can’t do anything. Are you not relying on guns? Your aircraft and your guns are like spiders web to Allah. We are for Allah, we are doing it for Allah. We are not afraid of anybody.”
“You should know that this is a little that you’ve seen. Know that, if our demands are not met, this place will become an abattoir,” he said.
