… says ‘I’m not afraid, I have nothing to hide’
Alhaji Tukur Mamu, Kaduna-based publisher involved in the controversial negotiation that led to the release of some of the abducted passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna train, has accused the Federal Government of masterminding his arrest and detention in Cairo, Egypt.
Mamu was reportedly arrested at the airport of the North African country on Tuesday on the “orders of the Nigerian Government.”
The bandits’ negotiator, who claimed he was on his way to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj, was said to have been arrested and detained at the Cairo International Airport for 24 hours. He is said to be currently being repatriated back to Nigeria.
He told Daily Trust while onboard the plane back to Nigeria, that nothing incriminating was found on him by the Egyptian police.
Mamu also said that the Egyptian authorities informed him that they had no reason to detain him further.
The bandits’ negotiator was quoted by Daily Trust to have said, “I was on my way to Cairo-Egypt but my destination was Saudi Arabia for my Umrah alongside some of my family members. I was detained for 24 hours at the Cairo International Airport under the orders of Nigerian Government. 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.
“Right now they boarded 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 has been accused of acting more on the side of the terrorists, rather than in Nigeria’s interest. He has, however, vehemently denied the allegations on several occasions.