Train attack: Reps urge Buhari to rescue 51 captives

The House of Representatives yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to secure the release of the remaining 51 Nigerians kidnapped in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack and all other Nigerians held hostage by bandits and terrorists across the country.

It asked the government to set up a high-power inter-agency panel to coordinate efforts and ensure the release of kidnapped victims across the country as well as assist their families.

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This followed the adoption of a motion by Bamidele Salam (PDP Osun), Julius Ihonvere (APC Edo), Mansur Manu Soro (APC Bauchi) and seven others.

The lawmakers said if nothing urgent was done to secure the freedom of victims in captivity across the country, citizens would lose confidence in government. They said the situation might embolden criminals and groups to step up acts of criminality and thus endanger the stability of the nation.

Salam said there were unresolved cases of kidnappings in the country, including the remnant of 2014 kidnapped Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu in February 2018, the Islamiyya school students kidnapped in Niger State on 30 May 2021, the Bethel Baptist High School Kaduna students kidnapped on July 5, 2021 and the students of Federal Government College Birnin Yauri students kidnapped on 21 October, 2021.