Osun rep protests barefoot in Abuja over insecurity

A member representing Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Constituency in Osun State, Bamidele Salam, on Wednesday held a lone protest in Abuja to demand the safe rescue of the kidnapped passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train currently held hostage by terrorists.

The lawmaker who was adorned in black trousers and a shirt walked barefooted from the Unity Fountain to the National Assembly Complex with a placard which carried an inscription; “Muhammadu Buhari, Do More To Secure Freedom For The Kaduna Train Victims”.

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The PDP lawmaker while addressing journalists after the lone protest, challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to rise to his constitutional responsibilities of protecting the lives and property of citizens by acting fast in securing the release of the remaining kidnapped victims of the Kaduna to Abuja train attack.

He said the protest became necessary following what he called the “inactions” of the president to rescue hundreds of Nigerians languishing in terrorists’ captivity for many days.

“There is a viral video of the victims, pleading for urgent intervention in the face of threats by their abductors to kill them within a specified time given if certain conditions as demanded were not met. This video has been trending on social media, prompting a renewed call for urgent action.

“What the country needs to do is to secure the release of the Kaduna train victims. Too many precious Nigerian lives have been lost to kidnappers and other malevolent individuals to permit these hapless victims of the train hijack to become the latest statistics of a nefarious enterprise (which) has sullied the national image”, the lawmaker said.

Salam called on his colleagues in the National Assembly and Nigerians at large to join him in urging President Buhari to do all that is within his power as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to free the train attack victims and many others languishing in captivity.

Also, he described as “unnecessary and diversionary,” a recent Bill passed by the Senate, part of which provided for the prohibition of payment of ransom by families of kidnap victims, “especially where it appears that the government is helpless, and demonstrating incapability to handle the challenges.”