By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
Families and friends of abducted Abuja-Kaduna-bound train passengers have kicked against the resumption of train services by the Nigerian Railway Corporation next Monday.
Describing the move as callous and insensitive, the families warned further that the authorities should not dare their patience.
Stonix News recalled that the train was attacked on 28th March, 2022 and over 60 passengers were abducted, besides those killed, by terrorists suspected to be Ansaru – a splinter faction of the Boko Haram.
The families noted that unless their abducted loved ones were rescued unhurt, they would resist any attempt to resume the train services.
The position of the families was made known by Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, while speaking with journalists in Kaduna on Thursday.
“Today is the 52nd day our loved ones were abducted and all the Railway Corporation was interested in was the resumption of train services.
“It has been 52 long days of captivity, fear, anxiety, tears, agony, trauma, and recently, despair.
“We cannot wait for this to come to an end. Amidst this depressing situation, the NRC announced its planned resumption of train services for Monday, May 23, 2022.
“Nigerians have clearly expressed their opposition to this highly insensitive decision of the NRC, given that 61 Nigerian citizens are still languishing in the deep forest in the hands of their abductors.
“Moreover, can the NRC guarantee the safety of prospective passengers?
“We have been kept in the dark to continue agonising and indeed some family members are now on the verge of mental instability challenge.
“One can only imagine the physical, mental, and emotional status of our relatives in captivity.
“We, the relatives of the abducted passengers, are proud Nigerians with clear identities.
“We are not ghosts and we are certainly not faceless as alleged by the management of the NRC in their press release,” he asserted.
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