Tobias Sylvester
The Family of Tukur Mamu, the media consultant to a popular Islamic cleric, Ahmed Gumi, has revealed why “incriminating materials” were found in the possession of the embattled bandit’s negotiator who was arrested by the Department of Security Services (DSS).
Tukur Mamu Arrested
KanyiDaily had reported how Mamu, who was at the forefront of negotiations for the release of the Abuja-Kaduna train captives, was arrested with his family in Cairo, Egypt’s capital.
The publisher of Desert Herald was detained with his family members at Cairo International Airport while they were on their way for lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia.
Mamu told newsmen that he left Nigeria on Tuesday and was detained by Egyptian security agencies for scrutiny, but nothing incriminating was found on him.
He accused the federal government of attempting to detain him in another country like the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho.
The Egyptian authorities repatriated Mamu back to Nigeria before he was arrested again by DSS operatives at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
The Kaduna publisher, who is currently in the custody of the DSS to answer questions related to some critical security matters, was arrested together with his family shortly after he was repatriated to Nigeria from Egypt.
On Thursday, it was gathered that the DSS stormed Mamu’s residence and office around 12.30 am and carted away sensitive materials and computers.
Speaking on the development, DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya confirmed that a raid was carried out on Mamu’s Kaduna home and office, and the DSS recovered military accouterments, different currencies and denominations and other “incriminating materials.”
Afunanya said Mamu, who is in their custody together with his eldest son, Faisal, and his brother-in-law, Ibrahim Tinja, would be charged to court.
Why Military Items Were Found In Mamu’s House
In a statement issued by the management of Desert Herald, owned by Mamu, the publisher’s family said that the military accouterments found in his home belonged to his nephew who is an officer of the Nigerian Navy.
The family, who also accused the DSS of concocting allegations in order to give the publisher a bad name, said that the total amount of the hard currency found in Mamu’s house if converted into naira is less that N1.5m.
The statement reads, ”The cooked up phantom allegations the Department of Security Services (DSS) concocted in its desperation to give the publisher a bad name in order to rope him.
“The department made allusions that military accoutrements and hard currency were found in the home of Tukur Mamu with a view to sway public opinion against the publisher who has made supreme sacrifices towards nixing the raging insecurity in the land.
“The public may wish to know that the military accoutrements found in the home of the publisher belongs to his nephew who is an officer of the Nigerian Navy. Tukur Mamu who played the role of a father, was responsible for the upkeep and school expenses of the nephew till he enrolled in the Nigerian Navy.
“Again in its desperation to smear the name of Mamu, the DSS said it has found huge amount of hard currency without stating how much it found. It is incumbent for the general public to know that the total amount of the hard currency found in Mamu’s house if converted into naira is less that N1.5m, yet the DSS is trying to make the situation look bad by saying huge haul of hard currency was found in his house.
“At this point it is pertinent to ask when does it become a crime for someone to within his income limit had foreign currency in his house? Or is it a crime for one to have a member of his family in the Nigerian Armed Forces?
“This distortion of information and media trial against Mamu is a pointer to the desperation of the DSS to rope the man at all cost for the sacrifices he is making to ensure an end to the raging insecurity in the land.”
KanyiDaily recalls that a security source had revealed that Tukur Mamu was arrested because of his “Strong ties with terrorist groups and N2bn ransom racketeering”
