Tukur Mamu, the lead negotiator between bandits and kidnapped Kaduna-bound train passengers in March, has opened up on his encounter in Egypt.
WITHIN NIGERIA had earlier reported that Mamu, Kaduna-based publisher was arrested alongside his family members in Cairo, the capital of Egypt on Tuesday.
Mamu claimed he was on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj, when he was arrested and detained at the Cairo International Airport for 24 hours. He was later repatriated back to Nigeria.
According to Daily Trust, while onboard the plane back to Nigeria, Mamu said nothing incriminating was found on him and that the Egyptian authorities had informed him that they had no reason to detain him further.
“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,” he said.
“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” he said.
Mamu rejected the allegations on several occasions that he’s acting more on the side of the terrorists, rather than Nigeria’s interest.