Department of State Services has confirmed that the lead negotiator between the terrorists and passengers kidnapped from a Kaduna-bound train March, Malam Tukur Mamu is in custody.
Mamu was arrested and detained in Cairo, Egypt, alongside his family members on Tuesday.
He, alongside his family members, was repatriated back to Nigeria on Wednesday and they were arrested by the DSS on arrival at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
The Kaduna-based published who was first arrested in Egypt was detained for 24 hours before he was flown back to Nigeria.
DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunnaya, said in a statement that Mamu was arrested because he’s a “person of interest.”
The statement also said the DSS was already grilling Mamu over security issues.
The DSS statement read, “The Department of State Services (DSS) has been inundated with enquires in respect of the arrest or otherwise of Tukur Mamu, the self-acclaimed Kaduna Train hostage negotiator. This is to confirm that Manu, as a person of interest, was intercepted by Nigeria’s foreign partners at Cairo, Egypt on 6th September, 2022 while on his way to Saudi Arabia.
“He has since been returned to the country, today, 7th September, 2022 and taken into the Service’s custody. The act followed a request by Nigeria’s Military, Law Enforcement and Intelligence Community to their foreign partners to bring back Mamu to the country to answer critical questions on ongoing investigations relating to some security matters in parts of the country. The public may wish to note that the law will appropriately take its course.”