Acting managing director/chief executive officer of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) Alwan Hassan has appeared in a video with terrorists shortly after his release from captivity.
Hassan went missing following the attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28.
Confirming his release to TheCable on Wednesday evening, his daughter Asma Alwan said, “He has been released.”
Hassan was seen in a video which surfaced on social media on Thursday sandwiched between four terrorists. Statements were made by the terrorists in Hausa language.
The terrorists said they decided to have mercy on Hassan in the spirit of the Ramadan season and his age.
“We are responsible for the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train and we are allowing the man to go because of his age and in the spirit of Ramadan.
“This is the tip of the iceberg. We are not after money and government knows what we want,” one of them said.
The BoA boss, who was directed to speak in the video before his release, pleaded with the government to listen to the terrorists so that other captives can be released.
He said: “There are many captives with our abductors here and out of pity, they decided to release me and due to the month of Ramadan. I am appealing to the government to save the lives of others with them.”
Following the attack on the train, eight persons were confirmed dead including secretary-general of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Musa-Lawal Ozigi; Kwara chairman of Trade Union Congress, Akin Akinsola; and a dental surgeon, Chinelo Nwando; while 29 persons sustained injuries.
As of April 3, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said it had confirmed the safety of 186 passengers, while 22 persons were missing.
