President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why he didn’t order maximum use of military force against terrorists to rescue the remaining victims of the Kaduna train attack.
It would be recalled that terrorists attacked a train travelling between Abuja and Kaduna on March 28, killing eight people, injuring 26, and kidnapping several others, out of which 31 are still in captivity.
Addressing representatives of the victims in Abuja on Thursday, August 11, the president said he made the decision in order to avoid collateral damage.
He said the Federal Government is doing everything within its powers to ensure the safe return of the remaining captives. Adding that several actions had been taken by government to bring succour to the affected families and prevent a recurrence in the country.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said: “I have been informed that at last count, there remained about 31 people in the hands of the kidnappers and our determination is to work towards returning these 31 people to their families.
It is understandable that emotions typically run high, we have received several suggestions about the deployment of lethal military force in extracting those still being held in captivity. This option has, indeed, been considered and evaluated.
However, the condition to guarantee a successful outcome and minimize potential collateral damage could not be assured and, therefore, that course of action had to be reluctantly discarded. My primary concern is to get everyone released safe and unhurt.”
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