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“I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent”
—Mahatma Gandhi
By Daniel Kanu
It has been confirmed that Tukur Mamu, the Kaduna train hostage mediator, has been arrested.
Mamu who is a media consultant to Ahmed Gumi, the popular Islamic cleric, was at the forefront of negotiations for the release of the Kaduna-train captives.
The Publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper at the moment is said to be in the Department of State Security (DSS) custody.
He was arrested on Tuesday, September 6, by security operatives in far away Cairo, Egypt, returned to the country through the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport on Wednesday, September 7, and taken into the DSS custody.
DSS through its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, confirmed that he is in their custody. He also gave reasons for the arrest of Mamu in a statement.
The statement reads in part: “The DSS 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 in Cairo, Egypt on 6th September 2022 while on his way to Saudi Arabia and is now in our 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.”
It is public knowledge that he was involved in the controversial negotiations that led to the release of several abducted passengers of the March 28 Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
But in August, Mamu, withdrew as the lead negotiator in securing the release of the remaining train attack victims, claiming that his life was under serious threat by the Nigerian government.
Security sources disclosed that despite his claimed withdrawal, he, however, remained a veritable medium of communication with the terrorists on one hand and families of the kidnapped victims on the other hand.
Mamu has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, saying he was on a legitimate journey to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.
Expectedly also, Mamu’s publication management through a statement issued by the Head, Special Operations and Production Manager, Ibrahim Mada, has demanded his immediate release, refuting insinuations that he was fleeing the country with his family to escape arrest and prosecution.
“The allegation, according to some sources, that he was arrested by security operatives in Egypt for fleeing the country is unfounded and baseless. We hereby demand for their immediate and unconditional release,” the statement read in part.
There are allegations from security sources that beyond his relationship with insurgents in Nigeria, Mamu was also arrested because of his strong ties with a terror group in Sinai area in Egypt.
Sinai Peninsula is in the northeastern extreme of Egypt and adjoins Israel and the Gaza Strip on the East .
The area is believed to be notorious for frequent attacks in recent years, as the militants there remained active and posed a serious threat not only to the Egyptian security operatives but also to far countries through well co-ordinated networks.
Other allegations flying around, according to intelligence sources, is that he has been on international watchlist and has collected over N2billion in ransom for terrorists with some of the payments made in US dollars by desperate families and negotiated the release of their loved ones.
There were also feelers that Mamu was intercepted because of an intelligence report over a scheduled meeting with some persons believed to be leaders of the terrorists who conducted the Kaduna train attack.
Of a truth, Nigerian authorities have been accused of not doing enough to secure the release of kidnapped victims whenever such incidents occurred, a development that makes it necessary for desperate families to device other means, clinging on whoever that has the contact to negotiate for them not minding the humongous ransom payments to liberate their loved ones for fear of being killed.
There are some Nigerians who are also of the opinion that Mamu must have stepped on toes that would want him down, against the backdrop of the controversy he has generated for himself over the years.
A group, Concerned Members of Jibwis, once described him on their Facebook page (Majalisin Ahalus-sunnah) in 2017, as “a sadist acclaimed journalist who appears truly to be wolf in sheep’s clothing”.
Latest information from the DSS office, said it has found incriminating items, including military uniforms, large amount of cash in different currencies when the agency conducted search on his property.
The reality is that at the moment Mamu is deemed innocent, all allegations against him remain false until after prosecution at the law court and convicted.
What is expected of government is to provide all relevant documents and exhibits against him and if found guilty be made to face the wrath of the law despite his placement and connections.
It is time for the Buhari-led government to show that his leadership is serious in tackling insecurity. And this can only be by apprehending culprits and letting them face the penalty.
Tukur Mamu, son of Mallam Mamu Duba Gari, an Islamic scholar, hails from Fika town in Yobe state.
He is a journalist and the publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper.
Mamu has been investigated several times under previous administrations by security agencies over alleged controvertial publications.
He is a traditional title holder of Dan Iyan Fika in Yobe State.
