The police in Egypt have arrested Mr. Tukur Mamu who mediated between the federal government and terrorists who attacked a Kaduna-bound train on March 28, 2022.
Sixty-five passengers were kidnapped during the attack while eight were killed.
It was gathered that the media consultant who has been vocal about his role in negotiating the freedom of the abductees, was arrested in Cairo, alongside members of his family on Tuesday.
He was reported to have been on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj when he was detained at the Cairo International Airport for 24 hours and later deported to Nigeria.
Confirming the arrest in a statement on Wednesday, the management of the Kaduna-based Desert Herald Newspaper alleged that the federal government was behind the arrest of its publisher in the North African country.
The statement reads: “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 lesser Hajj.
“They travelled through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and departed exactly at 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 has 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 Nigeria government.
“Mallam Tukur Mamu is a responsible citizen who voluntary engaged in negotiations that led to the release of about 20 passengers of the ill-fated 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.”
Recall that terrorists had on March 28, 2022, attacked an Abuja–Kaduna train in Katari, Kaduna State kidnapping over 65 passengers and killing at least eight people, including Amin Mahmoud, a youth leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chinelo Megafu Chinelo, a medical doctor, Tibile Mosugu, a promising lawyer and son of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and Mr. Musa Lawal-Ozigi, secretary-general, Trade Union Congress (TUC).
