Sidi Aminu Sharif, one of the train passengers who regained freedom after more than four months in captivity, has spoken about his ordeal.
The victim, who was among the five passengers freed on Tuesday, was shot in captivity, raising concerns about his health condition.
Speaking at the Kaduna office of Tukur Mamu, Kaduna-based publisher who facilitated the release of some of the train passengers, the victim said efforts made to remove the bullets were unsuccessful.
He expressed optimism that he would get proper medical attention now that he has been released.
“I am one of the passengers of the train attacked in Kaduna on its way from Abuja. I could remember how it happened when the train was conveying us to Kaduna. As we were sitting on the train, I could remember I praying when we heard a loud sound… I was shot on my stomach in captivity. A doctor tried to remove it but he could not. He used my clothes to manage the blood which flowed to my knees.
“He used gloves and search my stomach to pull out the bullet but couldn’t find, he later used scissors but still couldn’t find any bullet in my stomach. Up till now, we didn’t see the bullet. I don’t know if it’s still in my stomach, I hope now that we are free, I can go to the hospital for x-ray if the bullet can be found.”
It is yet unclear if any ransom was paid for their release but Daily Trust had reported how the passengers who were freed in July paid N100 million each, with the Pakistani among them, parting with N200 million in exchange for freedom.
The terrorists, who initially demanded prison swap as one of the conditions to free some of the passengers, demanded huge ransom after their leaders that they wanted to exchange the victims for, were freed in the Kuje prison invasion.
