Family members of the people abducted on the Kaduna-Abuja train have again staged a peaceful protest to pressurise the Federal Government to release the eight children of the suspected terrorists in the captivity of the government to open up negotiation as demanded by the insurgents.
It should be recalled that the terrorists have reached out to a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, demanding the release of their children in captivity in Yola before they will negotiate with the government.
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Addressing the media during the peaceful protest held in Kaduna, leaders of the relatives of the victims’ families Dr Abdulfatai Jimoh and Dr Ba’aba Muhammad in a statement read at the venue said it is now exactly 58 days that their loved ones have been held in captivity.
They also begged the federal government to release the children of the insurgents who are in their captivity so as to free the 62 abducted passengers.
They appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to kindly consider their demand.
“Article 7 of the Third Geneva Convention provides for the rights and protection of prisoners of war. In a similar manner, the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) also protects persons deprived of liberty as a result of armed conflicts before their eventual release.
“We are appealing to the abductors of our family members to show compassion to them as fellow Nigerians,” the statement reads.
Similarly, Professor Abdulaziz Attah who was part of the protesters
said they are already talking directly with the abductors and they
claimed that they want their children in custody to be released before they will set free their captives.
He urged the government to direct the security agencies to release the
innocent children immediately, adding that it is wrong to detain children in the first place.
