Train attack: Mamu’s arrest won’t stop negotiations for abductees’ release, says FG

The federal government says the arrest of Tukur Mamu, publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, won’t stop negotiations for the release of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers.

Mamu is an aide to Ahmad Gumi, popular Islamic cleric, who has been involved in negotiations for the release of the passengers who were abducted during an attack on a train in March 2022.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday after a national security council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, Muhammad Dingyadi, minister of police affairs, said there are other people involved in the negotiations.

“Efforts are ongoing to have all Nigerians in the captivity of either kidnappers or bandits and we are not sparing anything to get them released,” Dingyadi said.

“Mamu has been arrested by the DSS for actions that are not friendly to the objective of security management and control, as it concerns the victims of kidnapping that you have mentioned.

“The matter is in court and the court has ruled accordingly. We are not sparing any effort to release our abducted brothers and sisters, who are still in captivity.

“Maybe you only came to know Mamu because he made himself known. There are other negotiators who are there negotiating on behalf of those captives.

“The parents are there; security agencies are also there; we are all negotiating. So, don’t say because Mamu has been arrested, there’s no negotiator.”

Mamu was arrested at the Kano international airport, after he returned from Egypt, where he was detained on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.

Speaking on Mamu’s arrest, the Department of State Services (DSS) had said the publisher had questions to answer on security matters.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a federal high court in Abuja gave the DSS the go-ahead to detain the publisher for 60 more days.