By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of Mr. Tukur Mamu who before now was the middle-man negotiating the release of hostages from a Kaduna-bound train who are being held by terrorists since March.
Mamu, a Kaduna-based Publisher,was first arrested in Egypt on his way to lesser hajj in Saudi, detained for 24 hours and flown back to Nigeria where the security agents picked him up at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano on Wednesday afternoon, at about 1:55pm immediately he disembarked from the Egypt Air aircraft.
The security operatives were stationed at the entrance of the international wing of the airport several minutes before the aircraft landed.
As passengers began to file out from the arrival section, one of the hilux moved forward while the luggage, presumably of Mamu and his family members. The luggage were loaded in one of the vehicles while the one which picked Mamu zoomed off.
In a statement, DSS Spokesman, Peter Afunanya, confirmed Mamu’s arrest, saying the agency was grilling him over security issues.
“The Department of State Services (DSS) has been inundated with enquires in respect of the arrest or otherwise of Tukur Mamu, the self-acclaimed Kaduna Train hostage negotiator. This is to confirm that Manu, as a person of interest, was intercepted by Nigeria’s foreign partners at Cairo, Egypt on 6th September, 2022 while on his way to Saudi Arabia.
“He has since been returned to the country, today, 7th September, 2022 and taken into the Service’s custody. The act followed a request by Nigeria’s Military, Law Enforcement and Intelligence Community to their foreign partners to bring back Mamu to the country to answer critical questions on ongoing investigations relating to some security matters in parts of the country. The public may wish to note that the law will appropriately take its course.”
This is according to a statement released by the DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya on Wednesday following reports that Mamu was arrested in Egypt.
“This is to confirm that Mamu, as a person of interest, was intercepted by Nigeria’s foreign partners at Cairo, Egypt on 6th September 2022 while on his way to Saudi Arabia,” the statement read.
“He has since been returned to the country, today, 7th September 2022, and taken into the Service’s custody.
“The act followed a request by Nigeria’s military, law enforcement, and intelligence community to their foreign partners to bring back Mamu to the country to answer critical questions on ongoing investigations relating to some security matters in parts of the country. The public may wish to note that the law will appropriately take its course.”
Mamu has made headlines lately for his part in the release of the Kaduna train victims who were abducted on March 28.
But in August, the Publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper withdrew as the lead negotiator in securing the release of the remaining train attack victims. He claimed that his life was under threat by the Nigerian Government.
