A victim of the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack, Comrade M Muhammad, has shared insights from a conversation he had with one of his kidnappers at a mosque in Kaduna State.
Naija News recalls that on March 28, 2022, an Abuja–Kaduna train was attacked in Katari, just 15 minutes before it was due to reach its destination.
Many passengers were taken hostage, while others lost their lives or sustained injuries due to the bandits’ bombing of the train.
The train was said to have departed from Abuja’s Idu station at 6 pm and was expected to arrive at the Rigasa train station in Kaduna by 8 pm.
In a recent interview with Daily Trust, Muhammad recounted his hour-long discussion with one of his abductors, whom he encountered at the mosque.
He expressed his sense of peace with the kidnapper, identified only as Abubakar, explaining that he had chosen to forgive him, recognising that while some did not survive the ordeal, he was fortunate enough to do so.
Muhammad said: “Yes, it’s true that I saw the guy Abubakar at the Mosque as posted on my social media. Actually, he was shocked to see him, but I smiled at him, which made him comfortable.
“We stepped outside and he told me that he has now repented now riding Okada. He also told me that one of their notorious commanders, Baba Adamu, had been killed by soldiers, and I was happy to hear that news.
“Others may be surprised that I forgave him and left him to go because even before seeing him on that day, I had already forgiven them.”
Muhammad, however, said he would not forgive the government for what happened to him on the night of March 28, 2022, “because the train was attacked due to the government’s negligence.”
He stated that, according to intelligence reports, the government had been informed of a potential attack on the train but failed to take preventive measures.
The victim further expressed feelings of abandonment by the government after their release, noting that they had to personally cover the expenses for the therapy sessions required during their recovery.
“We spent 196 days, which was 7 months in captivity, and after our release, the government did nothing to support us apart from the drip and anti-malaria treatment given to us.
“Many of us, me inclusive, battled with trauma and had to be going to the Neo Psychiatric hospital for months seeking treatment without government support,” Muhammad narrated.
