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…Mamu is “person of interest” -DSS explains
Tayo AFOLABI
Head, Special Projects, Desert Herald Newspaper, Ibrahim Mada, has alleged that the the federal government role in the arrest of the publisher of the weekly newspaper, Malam Tukur Mamu, was an outright intimidation and harassment.
A Family member said the publisher was arrested and detained on Tuesday at Cairo Airport by Interpol while waiting for connecting flight to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.
However, the management staff accused the Federal government of contriving the arrest, deportation of Mamu from Egypt.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mada said, “In its efforts to intimidate and harass the publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, Malam Tukur Mamu, the federal government has surreptitiously contrived the arrest and deportation of the publisher as well as members of his family while on their way to the holy land for lesser Hajj.
“On the 5th September 2022, Mamu alongside his family planned the journey to Saudi Arabia to perform lesser Hajj.
“They travelled through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and departed exactly at 2:00pm aboard Egypt Airlines.
“They are expected to return to Nigeria on 20th September, 2022.
“Immediately after their departure, we received credible information that men and officers of NIA had stormed the airport with intent to stop him from travelling.
“But their attempt to frustrate the journey was not successful as he has already left the airport en route Cairo. But in their desperation to expound a pound of flesh, they forcefully retrieved copies of his travelling documents from immigration.
“On arrival in Cairo, Malam Tukur Mamu and family members were arrested and detained for almost 24 hours and later deported back to Nigeria on the strict request and instructions of Nigeria government.
“Mallam Tukur Mamu is a responsible citizen who voluntary engaged in negotiations that led to release of about 20 passengers of the I’ll fated train hijacked by gunmen.
“His patriotic mission to ensure the safety of the hapless passengers made him a target of blackmail by unscrupulous elements in the government who are hell bent in punishing him for this noble but dangerous sacrifice for the fatherland. Such threats and intimidations have 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 from the side of security agents to frame him, he withdrew from the said negotiations but from his latest sojourn, it appears that those who are desperately braying for his head are still hell bent in carrying out their odious dastardly plans.
“But it is our fervent hope that the evil machination of these desperate elements will be nixed by the fact that Allah is always by the side of the oppressed. This evil machination like the ones before it, shall also come to pass”.
Tukur Mamu, was one of the negotiators of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack victims with bandits who once said that he would no longer participate in dialogue with terrorists again as his life is in danger.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Mamu, on Wednesday afternoon at the Aminu Kano International Airport in North-west Nigeria upon his arrival from Egypt.
Mamu told newsmen he was arrested and detained by official of the DSS.
He was accompanied by his two wives and one other person.
Mamu had been arrested by the Interpol in Egypt on his way to Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and made to return home.
However, in its reaction, the Department of State Services, DSS, in a statement by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, said Mamu was arrested because he was a “person of interest”.
Afunanya noted that upon his return to the country on Wednesday, the DSS took Mamu into custody as he has some critical questions to answer on the ongoing investigations relating to some security matters in Nigeria.
The statement read, “The Department of State Services 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 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.”
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