Less than 24 hours after the train hostage negotiator, Tukur Mamu, was arrested at the Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano (MAKIA) on Wednesday afternoon by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), his newspaper office and house were on Thursday raided in Kaduna
This is as Mamu’s principal and Kaduna based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi, said the law should be allowed to prevail on the allegations against the newspaper publisher and erstwhile negotiator with the terrorists, who abducted the Abuja-Kaduna Train Passengers.
“Please let us not jump the gun, let us wait for the court to judge on the matter,” the Islamic cleric said.
Mamu, who was on his way to Saudi Arabia with two of his wives, was stopped at the Cairo Airport in Egypt while awaiting his connecting flight to Saudi Arabia to perform the Lesser Hajj (Umrah), and taken back to Nigeria on Wednesday by the International Police in Cairo.
On return to Nigeria via Malam Aminu International Airport in Kano, Mamu and his two wives were immediately arrested and taken into custody by DSS.
Mamu, who is the Publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper and Magazine had told journalists that, although his documents were checked and nothing incriminating was found, he was deported back to Nigeria, through Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.
Meanwhile, one of the staff of Desert Herald Newspaper (name withheld) told our correspondent that the DSS operatives stormed the residence of the publisher in the early hours of Thursday with many vehicles and fully armed.
He said, “I know they were there looking for incriminating materials they can use to link our boss to terrorism, but I am sure they won’t find anything, because he (Tukur Mamu) is sincere in his assistance to the victims of kidnapping.
“They ransacked the house and carted away documents, phones and laptops. Those in the house were ordered to sign a document which they did not read before the officers took it back.
“They were about 50 of them who came with sophisticated weapons in Toyota Hilux, Toyota Highlander Jeep as well as Army Vehicles.
“They returned the two wives that were with him but his sons, Ibrahim and Faisal, are still with him in detention.
“I will say again that they found nothing suspicious or incriminating both in the house and office but they seized our phones and laptops computers.
“After ransacking the house, they also went to the office to continue the search,” the staff said.
A national daily had in the aftermath of Mamu’s arrest reported that he was arrrested for his alleged involvement in N2billion ransom racketeering.
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