The arrested lead negotiator of the Kaduna train victims, Mamu Tukur arrested in Egypt on Tuesday by INTERPOL has opened up on his encounter in Egypt.
Mamu, who claimed he was on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj was said to have been detained at the Cairo International Airport for 24 hours and is being repatriated back to Nigeria.
The Kaduna-based publisher, who spoke with Daily Trust while onboard the plane back to Nigeria, said nothing incriminating was found on him.
He told the publication that the Egyptian authorities had informed him that they had no reason to detain him further.
“I was on my way to Cairo-Egypt but my destination was Saudi Arabia for my Umrah alongside some of my family members. I was detained for 24 hours at the Cairo International Airport under the orders of Nigerian Government. I was not harassed at the Nigerian Airport until I got to Cairo when the security officials there told me that they had orders to arrest me by Nigerian Department of State Security (DSS). We were arrested alongside my family members for the whole day at Cairo Airport,” he said.
“Right now they boarded the next available flight for me and my family members back home to Kano. I’m sure the DSS officials would likely be waiting for me at the Kano airport today (Wednesday). I don’t have anything to hide and I’m not afraid of them (DSS). I swear to God I’m not afraid of them. I just want the world to know of what is happening” he said.
There have been allegations against Mamu acting more on the side of the terrorists, rather than Nigeria’s interest, but he vehemently rejected the allegations on several occasions.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday said that Tukur Mamu, is in its custody.
This is according to a statement released by the DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya 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.
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