The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed the arrest of Malam Tukur Mamu, a former negotiator of victims kidnapped from a Kaduna-bound train in March.
The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, issued a statement on Wednesday evening, September 7, saying the agency was grilling Mamu over security issues.
He assured Nigerians that the law would take its course appropriately.
The statement 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 Manu, 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.”
Recall that Mamu was arrested at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano on Wednesday afternoon.
The Kaduna-based journalist who was first arrested in Egypt was detained for 24 hours before he was flown back to Nigeria. When the Egypt Air aircraft, which conveyed him and his family members, touched down in Kano around 1:55 p.m., he was immediately picked up.
DSS operatives were stationed at the entrance of the airport’s international wing several minutes before the aircraft landed.
Heavily armed operatives, in the company of others dressed in mufti, were on guard at the entrance of the arrival section of the international wing of the airport, where three vehicles—two Hilux and one Hiace—with Kano number plates were parked by the entrance.
As passengers began to file out from the arrival section, one of the Hilux moved forward, presumably carrying Mamu and his family members’ luggage.
The luggage was loaded in one of the vehicles while the one which picked Mamu zoomed off.
