By Adesina Soyooye
The Department of State Services, DSS, has explained why it arrested Tukur Mamu at the Kano International Airport on his arrival from Egypt on 7th September 2022.
Mamu had earlier been arrested by the INTERPOL in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday, September 6, while waiting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia. He was in the company of his two wives and one other when he was arrested.
On arrest, and a brief interrogation at the Airport in Egypt, he was put on a flight back to Nigeria. He arrived into the waiting hands of operatives of the DSS who promptly arrested him.
Explaining his arrest, the DSS said it is at the request of the Nigerian Military which expressed interest in Mamu over some security issues he needed to answer to, and clear with them.
The statement signed by Dr Peter Afunanya, Spokesperson, DSS, on Tuesday September 7, 2022, reads: “The Department of State Services (DSS), has been inundated with enquiries in respect of the arrest or otherwise of Tukur Mamu, the self-acclaimed Kaduna Train Hostage negotiator.
“This is to confirm that Mamu, as a person of interest, was intercepted by Nigeria’s foreign partners in 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.”
Mamu is the Publisher of Desert Herald as well as the Media Consultant to Sheik Abubakar Gumi, a Medical Doctor- turned Islamic Cleric.
Mamu became a popular name in Nigeria because of his self-appointed role as a negotiator between the Terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna Train in March, killed eight people and abducted 68 others.
Since the embarrassing incident, Mamu has, according to him, been responsible for the release of scores of them. He is also the one who gives upto date information on the welfare of the captives and the state of mind of the terrorists.
It is not known if money is passed through him for the release of the hostages or what his exact relationship with the terrorists is, but at a point, he said he had withdrawn from his self-appointed role because the attitude of the Federal Government was not encouraging. But he is usually the first to confirm the release of any of the victims and they usually paid a-thank – you visit to him.
His most recent information was on a Christian girl amongst the remaining captives who could soon forcefully get married to a top Commander of the terrorist Group if the Government does not urgently intervene.
It has been revealed that the terrorists are taking a whopping N100m for every released victim.
