Malam Tukur Mamu who has been negotiating with terrorists that attacked an Abuja/Kaduna train on March 28 and kidnnaped 73 person is being hounded by the Federal governement, Kaduna-based newspaper the Desert Herald has claimed.
Malam Mamu, according to Punch reports, was arrested in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday on his way to perform the Haji in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Mamu has been in contact with the terrorists through his connections with Islamic Cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi.
Speaking on Wednesday about the arrest, Desert Herald head of special projects, Ibrahim Mada accused the Federal government of masterminding Malam Mamu’s ordeal, which also had his family being deported from Egypt.
Mr. Mada said in a Statement: “In its efforts to intimidate and harass the publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, Malam Tukur Mamu, the federal government has surreptitiously contrived the arrest and deportation of the publisher as well as members of his family while on their way to the holy land for lesser Hajj.
“On the 5th September 2022, Mamu alongside his family planned the journey to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj.
“They travelled through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and departed at exactly 2:00pm aboard Egypt Airlines.
“They are expected to return to Nigeria on 20th September 2022.
“Immediately after their departure, we received credible information that men and officers of NIA had stormed the airport with intent to stop him from travelling.
“But their attempt to frustrate the journey was not successful as he had already left the airport en route to Cairo. But in their desperation to expound a pound of flesh, they forcefully retrieved copies of his travelling documents from immigration.
“On arrival in Cairo, Malam Tukur Mamu and family members were arrested and detained for almost 24 hours and later deported back to Nigeria on the strict request and instructions of the Nigerian government.
“Mallam Tukur Mamu is a responsible citizen who voluntarily engaged in negotiations that led to the release of about 20 passengers of the I’ll fated train hijacked by gunmen.
“His patriotic mission to ensure the safety of the hapless passengers made him a target of blackmail by unscrupulous elements in the government who are hell-bent in punishing him for this noble but dangerous sacrifice for the fatherland. Such threats and intimidations have forced him to reveal a number of times that his life was under serious threat.
“Due to numerous threats to his life and conspiracy from the side of security agents to frame him, he withdrew from the said negotiations but from his latest sojourn, it appears that those who are desperately praying for his head are still hell-bent in carrying out their odious dastardly plans.
“But it is our fervent hope that the evil machination of these desperate elements will be nixed by the fact that Allah is always by the side of the oppressed. This evil machination like the ones before it, shall also come to pass”
However, the Department of State Services said to a statement released by its spokesperson, Peter Afunnaya, Manu was being detained because he was a “person of interest”.