By Rotimi Akinola
A source at the hotel in Bamako, Mali’s capital, where events are still unfolding, told Newsroom that could not be further from the truth.
The gunmen invaded the luxury hotel around 7: 00 a.m (local time) on Friday and were reported to have taken 170 guests and staffs hostage.
‘The security forces freed maybe 30 freed, and the rest fled their hotel rooms when they hear gunshots or followed the happening on TV as it was immediately aired by local TV station Africable,’ the source told Newsroom.
When asked if the terrorists freed hostages after asking them to recite portions from the Qur’an, our source said that was not the case.
‘No one has been deliberately freed by this hoodlums except the ones freed by Mali forces and the ones who hid themselves after hearing gunshots,’ he said.
Our source said at length:
The first set of people evacuated are those who fled their rooms to a hiding place when they heard gunshots and some saw the scenario life on local TV. Mali special forces were able to penetrate the hotel premises with the information they gathered from the evacuated. And many have been freed by them, and by force. Four of the freed hostages are seriously injured (this could mean there was gun battles before they were freed).
I repeat, the terrorists have not freed anyone at their own will. Majority are those who fled their rooms to hiding after hearing gunshots. Some escaped at their own risk, and presently some are freed via a direct combat with Mali special forces.
Our source also shed insight into how the gunmen could have successfully taken control of the highly guarded hotel.
I saw people tweet that there were four or three terrorists. They are more than 12 terrorists. Three drove in with a tainted four-wheel drive with diplomatic plate numbers and the rest penetrated in disguise.
Earlier, Africa’s richest man, a Nigerian, Aliko Dangote had to go on Twitter to debunk rumours he was among the Radisson Blu hostages. We asked if there were Nigerians among the hostages and our source said the following.
Rumour about me being held hostage is false. I was in Mali yesterday.Thank you for your concern. My prayers with those involved.
— Aliko Dangote (@AlikoDangote) November 20, 2015
‘This hotel is US-owned and is one of the VIP hotels reserved for high profile individuals or entities in and outside Mali.’
‘For example, Air France, Air Turkey and other foreign airline staffs as well as US companies and citizens lodge here,’ he said.
That, however, doesn’t mean Nigerians do not lodge there as Dangote was at the hotel 24 hours ago.
Malian and French forces have laid siege Radisson Blu with reports saying the gunmen are still holding unto about 138 hostages.
The Macina Liberation Front (MLF) was believed to be behind the attack. The group holds allegiance to Boko Haram, the deadliest terrorist group in the world. Boko Haram itself is “loyal” to Islamic State which killed at least 127 people in France last Friday.
However, Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Mourabitoun, a group based in northern Mali and made up of mostly Tuaregs and Arabs, has claimed responsibility of for the Mali attack, Reuters is reporting.
The Muslim community have come under a mixture of scrutiny and solidarity after a surge in terrorist attacks carried out by groups who claim to further the course of Islam.
The voice of the critics were expected to get louder after reports say the terrorist entered the hotel with chants of ‘AllahuAkbar’ (meaning Allah is great), and released only hostages who could recite portions from the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an.
Our source’s ‘revelations’ may reduce the volume of the sound of those voices.
This post first appeared on Newsroom.ng
