Gunmen in late March attacked the prepare with explosives and gunfire, killing seven individuals and abducting dozens of others.
Though no arrest has been made in reference to the assault, police are “nonetheless gathering intelligence from locals” to seek out and rescue the hostages, Kaduna police spokesman Mohammed Jalige instructed The Related Press on Wednesday.
No group has claimed duty for the assault, which authorities blamed on armed teams who’ve often focused distant communities in northwest Nigeria with assistance from Islamic extremist rebels.
Greater than 100 passengers from the prepare had been lacking initially, however some had been later freed by the abductors in circumstances not made public. In June, the Nigerian presidency stated the Abuja prepare attackers “made a requirement for the discharge of their very own youngsters.”
Because the households of the hostages protested in Kaduna, asking authorities to “work sooner and do extra,” AbdulFatai Jimoh, chairman of the households’ union, stated they solely have one key demand: “We would like them (the federal government) to work sooner on this as a result of the longer our individuals keep within the bush, the extra they’re uncovered to quite a lot of hazard.
“We would like them to hasten the method of negotiation with the abductors of our members of the family to allow them to come out within the shortest time attainable,” Jimoh instructed The Related Press.
He stated the households are additionally anxious concerning the well being of the hostages believed to be saved in huge forest areas that always function hideouts for the armed teams, a lot of whom authorities have recognized as previously herdsmen caught up in Nigeria’s pastoral battle over entry to water and land.
One of many kidnapped passengers was shot by the abductors, he stated, whereas some others are reported to have fallen sick.
Abdulaziz Atta, whose 85-year-old mom and sister are among the many captives, stated he can not cease fascinated about them.
“Simply think about what they’ve been going by means of within the bush and you’ve got heavy rains all over the place,” he stated. “Think about an outdated lady there; at that age, you want treatment, you want care, nonetheless carrying the identical garments, take into consideration the bush, it’s within the bush so they’re uncovered to reptiles,” he added.
Atta’s sister, Adama Lawal Aliyu, who celebrated her 52nd birthday on Tuesday, has 4 youngsters at dwelling. “I do not wish to keep in mind the birthday; it simply makes me unhappy,” he stated.
