The Department of State Services has explained why the lead negotiator between the terrorists and passengers kidnapped from the attacked Abuja-Kaduna train, Alhaji Tukur Mamu, was arrested.
Mamu was arrested in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, on Tuesday.
The terrorists’ negotiator was arrested in Egypt alongside his family members.
Mamu was on his way to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj when he was detained at the Cairo International Airport.
Mamu’s arrest was coming a few days after the All Progressives Congress vice-presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, visited the publisher and Sheikh Gumi in Kaduna State.
The ex-negotiator personally shared pictures of the visit with our newsmen on. Confirming Mamu’s arrest, the Management of the Desert Herald Newspaper, said the arrest was an attempt to intimidate its publisher.
But giving details on why Mamu was arrested, the DSS in a statement by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, said Manu was arrested because he was a “person of interest”.
He noted that upon his return to the country on Wednesday, the DSS took Manu into custody.
According to him, Manu 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 enquires 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.
PUNCH