The Department of State Services (DSS) has explained why Tukur Mamu, the lead negotiator between bandits and kidnapped Kaduna-bound train passengers, was arrested by its officers at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
KEMI FILANI NEWS had earlier reported that Mamu was arrested alongside his family members in Cario, the capital of Egypt, and later flown back to Nigeria.
Mamu said he was arrested and detained at the Cairo International Airport for 24 hours while going to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.
The DSS operatives picked up the Kaduna-based publisher and his family members immediately after their plane landed at the Kano airport this afternoon and took them to Abuja.
The DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, who confirmed Tukur’s arrested in a statement, said the bandits’ negotiator was arrested because he was a “person of interest”.
Afunanya explained that Manu has some critical questions to answer on security matters in the country.
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.
“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.”