The Federal Government has assured families whose relations are being held hostage by terrorists who attacked a Kaduna-bound train last week that it will do everything within its powers to rescue the victims.
The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, gave the assurance at the 2022 Ministerial press briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
Represented by the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, the Minister said the ministry had been in constant communication with the security agencies over the rescue of the victims.
He, however, noted that details of the engagement with the security agencies cannot be disclosed at this time so as not to jeopardize the operations.
While commiserating with the affected families, he appealed for calm, saying the federal government is committed to the victim’s rescue.
Some families, who came to the ministerial briefing to protest against the government’s inability to rescue the victims 12 days, challenged the government to expedite action.
They said some of the victims have health issues.
Hajiya Idiat Yusuf who spoke on behalf of the affected families said, “Some of our family members have underlying ailments like ulcer, diabetes and there is no medication there. We are really concerned.
“In the last 12 days, it has been hell. We can’t sleep, we can’t eat and we are fasting abnormally. We just want the government to do something.”
According to her, two of her sisters are still with the kidnappers.
Speaking on some aachievementsof the ministry in 2021 and the first quarter of 2022, the minister said most of the ministry’s targets were being met.
He noted that the ministry had made significant improvements in maritime security, adding that Nigeria has now exited the piracy list in Africa.
He said, “The NIMASA Deep Blue Programme is meant to comprehensively tackle maritime safety and security issues in the Nigerian local waters up to the Gulf of Guinea and this has been yielding results.”
He also said the Bill for the National Transportation Commission (NTC) is now before President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
“This will see the Nigerian Shippers Council transmute to the NTC,” Amaechi added.
