DSS confirms arrest of Mamu in Egypt

Train kidnap negotiator flown to Abuja for custody

The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed the arrest of Mr. Tukur Mamu, the Abuja–Kaduna train kidnap negotiator.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, stated, yesterday: “This is to confirm that Mamu, as a person of interest, was intercepted by Nigeria’s foreign partners at Cairo, Egypt, on September 6, 2022, while on his way to Saudi Arabia. He has been returned to the country and taken into the service’s custody.”

According to the statement, the extradition 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,” the statement added. Mamu was arrested in Egypt and detained by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) at the Cairo International Airport, while awaiting a connecting flight to Saudi Arabia.

Mamu, who is the spokesman of popular Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, was accompanied by his two wives on the journey. He was flown back to Nigeria by Interpol after interrogation.

The Publisher of Desert Herald newspaper in Kaduna had negotiated the release of some victims of the March 2022 train attack.
Meanwhile, Head, Special Projects, Desert Herald, Ibrahim Mada, has described the arrest as outright intimidation and harassment by the Federal Government.

The newspaper’s management accused the Federal Government of contriving the arrest and deportation of Mamu from Egypt. Mada stated yesterday: “In its efforts to intimidate and harass the publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, Tukur Mamu, the Federal Government has surreptitiously contrived the arrest and deportation of the publisher and members of his family, while on their way to the holy land for lesser Hajj.

“On September 5, 2022, Mamu, alongside his family, planned the journey to Saudi Arabia to perform lesser Hajj. They travelled through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) and departed exactly at 2:00p.m. aboard Egypt Airlines. They were expected to return to Nigeria on September 20, 2022.”

He added that Mamu and his family members were arrested and detained for almost 24 hours and later deported to Nigeria on the strict supervision of the Nigerian government.

“Mamu is a responsible citizen, who voluntary engaged in negotiations that led to the release of about 20 passengers of the train hijack by gunmen. His patriotic mission to ensure the safety of the hapless passengers made him a target of blackmail by some elements in the government, who are hell-bent on punishing him for this noble but dangerous sacrifice for the fatherland. Such threats and intimidations forced him to reveal on a number of times that his life was under serious threat.

“Due to numerous threats to his life and conspiracy to frame him, he withdrew from the negotiations.”