Kaduna train hostage negotiator and publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, Malam Tukur Mamu, has accused the Department of State Services (DSS) of orchestrating his arrest at the Cairo airport in Egypt.
Mamu, who is being deported back to Nigeria at the moment, said he was arrested on Tuesday by Egyptian security officials and detained for 24 hours.
He was arrested while awaiting a connecting flight to Saudi Arabia.
He was traveling with his two wives and two children, 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE gathered.
In an interview with Daily Trust on Wednesday, the publisher said, “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, however, said “Right now they booked 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.”
Mamu came to the limelight after ISWAP terrorists launched an attack on a train in Kaduna, killing nine persons, injuring 28 others and kidnapping 63 passengers on March 28, 2022. Two passengers were released some days after the attack.
The publisher facilitated the release of 11 passengers on June 11.
He later said he pulled out from the negotiation between the terrorists and security agencies, over the latter’s alleged insincerity.
However, even after his withdrawal from the negotiation, Mamu continued to play backend roles, chief of which include negotiating ransom on behalf of the hostages families and hosting the freed passengers in his office before reuniting them with their families.
On July 11, families of another six hostages reportedly paid N100 million each ransom to secure the release of their loved ones.
The terrorists freed additional three passengers comprising a female and two males on July 25.
On August 2, the kidnappers had released five additional hostages.
On August 10, the terrorists had released a couple, her four children and an elderly woman.
On August 19, the kidnappers further freed additional four passengers.
