by The Department of State Services, DSS, has verified that Kaduna Train hostage negotiator Tukur Mamu has been taken into custody.
Mamu is being questioned in connection with investigations into cases of insecurity in parts of the country, Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson for the DSS, said in statement on Wednesday.
He stated that Mamu, a person of interest, was detained on Tuesday, September 6, at the Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt as he was en route to Saudi Arabia.
‘’He has since been returned to Nigeria, today, 7th September, 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…”, the statement read.
The arrest
Interpol seized Mamu at the Cairo International Airport in Egypt as he awaited his connecting flight to Saudi Arabia.
The proprietor of the Desert Herald newspaper, which has its headquarters in Kaduna, participated in the negotiations that led to the release of some of the people who had been held hostage after the train attack in March of 2022.
After claiming that his life was in danger, Mamu declared that he would no longer be leading the negotiations to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
Along with his wives and one other person, he told journalists on Wednesday that he had been arrested.
“I am on my way to Madina Saudi Arabia when they stopped me at Cairo Airport under the Nigerian Government order. Nothing was found in my possession. So I am sure the DSS officials are waiting for me at the Kano Airport, I don’t have anything to hide and as I said I am not afraid of them”, he said.
Hostages on the train headed for Kaduna continue to be held by the attackers, while their exact number is being debated.
Many have however being released, after months in captivity.
Source: radionigeria
