The terrorists who stormed the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28 and abducted 63 people while killing nine passengers were able to free seven more captives, including a family of six.
Hajia Aisha Hassan, 60, and the six members of her family—Abubakar Idris Garba, the father; Maryama Abubakar Bobbo; and Ibrahim Abubakar Garba, 10, Fatima Abubakar Garba, 7, Imran Abubakar Garba, 5, and Zainab Abubakar Garba—are among the hostages who have been freed.
Mal Tukur Mamu, the publisher of the Desert Herald newspaper, revealed the captives' photos and verified the victims' identities after telling journalists in Kaduna that they had been freed.
He said Sheikh Gumi, after seeing the recent video where the victims were being flogged, pleaded with the abductors to release the family of six, as two of their children were seriously sick.
Mamu however said the 60-year-old Hassan was released due to life-threatening health challenges, which deteriorated recently.
The terrorists have since after the attack released the kidnapped passengers in batches beginning with the Managing Director Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan; followed by another set of 11; a set of seven; a set of four; a set of five and seven.
A total of 36 of the passengers have been released so far leaving about 27 others still in captivity.