Terrorist negotiator, Mamu to spend more days in detention

Detained journalist and Abuja-Kaduna train hostage negotiator, Tukur Mamu may spend more days in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) following the approval of a court for the DSS to keep in custody while it conducts its investigations.

The ex-parte application forwarded by Ahmed Magaji, the DSS’s attorney, was granted by Justice Nkeonye Maha in a brief decision.

In a motion dated and filed on September 12 and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1617/2022, the security organisation pleaded with the court to grant its requests so that it could wrap up its investigation into Mamu, who was in charge of negotiating the release of the train passengers from Abuja to Kaduna who had been abducted in March.

On September 6, Mamu and his family members were detained in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, by foreign security personnel.

Mamu was stopped at Cairo International Airport before being returned to Nigeria while en route to Saudi Arabia for the smaller Hajj.

Peter Afunanya, the agency’s spokesman, pleaded with the public to respect the agency’s privacy so that it may focus on the investigations, the results of which, according to the agency, have been “mindboggling.”

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This occurred just hours after the arrest of the negotiator was criticised by the Islamic cleric Sheik Gumi, to whom Mamu is an assistant.

Reacting in its statement, the security outfit said, “The DSS has followed, with keen observation, overzealous comments by sections of the public in view of issues relating to the arrest and investigation of Tukur Mamu.”

“The service wishes to state that it is not distracted by some of the skewed narratives pervading the media space. Instead, it requests to be left alone to concentrate on the ongoing investigations, the outcomes of which have remained mind boggling.”

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“Meanwhile, the service will cease further comments on the subject matter since the court will determine its course. Consequently, the public is hereby enjoined to desist from making unguarded utterances and await the court proceedings.”