By Suleiman Umaru
For years, Tukur Mamu, alleged Publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper and Media Consultant, to Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, an Islamic Cleric, and self- appointed Negotiator of the March 28, 2022, Abuja –Kaduna train attack by Terrorists has been smiling to banks for closely working with the Terrorists and Bandits Group.
Mamu, the publisher of the Kaduna – based Desert Herald, may have been placed under security watch when he volunteered information that the terrorist group that had attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in which 62 passengers were kidnapped are the same group that attacked the Kuje Correctional Facility in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and opened the cells for the Terrorists serving their jail terms to escape. The question on the lips of most people was how did he know that it was the same Terrorists and Bandits gang that had had attacked the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train on March 28, 2022, that had attcked the Kuje Correctional facility in Abuja, FCT, if he was not working for them.
He had made Nigerians to believe that the information about the terrorists planned attack of the Kuje Correctional facility was passed to the security agencies but they failed to act on it. He may have exposed himself further of being a two-edge sword: feeding the terrorists with information to aid and abet their attacks and getting information from them to pass on to the Nigerian security agencies.
He was emphatic that he shared the information with the security agencies and the Committee that was said to have been constituted by Gen. Lucky Irabo, Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, and General Officer, GOC, Commanding the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, set up by Nigeria, Niger, Chad and the Central African country of Cameroon, to support Nigeria government in the against
+fight terrorism and stop its spread to other countries.
Unknown to the Sheikh Gumi, Media Consultant, the Department of State Security, DSS, under the close watch of Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and other security agencies , have closed in on him. He may have known that the game is up that may land him into trouble if he continues to participate in the dialogue with the Terrorists to facilitate the release of the remaining 28 Abuja-Kaduna passengers without the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari government.
Appearing on Arise Television on Tuesday, August 27,, 2022, he had announced his withdrawal from further engaging in Negotiation for the release of the remaining kidnapped passengers still in the Terrorists custody, insisting that ‘’there is virtually no support from the Katsina state born Nigerian President All Progressive Congress, APC, government and no form of appreciation from the government’’.
More so, he had said that his life and the other members of the Negotiating Team were being threatened and they think the best way in the corrupt system is’’ to withdraw from participating in the dialogue to facilitate Terrorists to release the remaining Passengers. He was talking tough.
It was a matter of time for the DSS and other security agencies hunting for him to arrest him in order to account for his relationship with the terrorists and why the increased banditry in the north west state of Kaduna and Niger, home state of Generals Ibrahim Babangida, rtd, a former Nigerian President and Abdulsami Abubakar, a former Head of State.
. He may have taken advantage of the Arise interview to have perfected plans to run away from the country with his family members as there is no hiding place any longer for him to practice his trade. The Publisher and Islamic Cleric may have known that the Nnamdi Azikiwe and Murtalala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, located in Abuja an Ikeja, respectively are no longer safe him to fly out of the country with his family for the lesser Hajj Saudi Arabia as he may be nabbed by security the DSS or police detectives.
He may have opted to use Cairo International Airport in Egypt to fly out his family to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj, but got it wrong. He was promptly arrested on Tuesday September 6, 2022, in Cairo, Egypt, with the support of the INTERPOL. The Lead Negotiator of the Abuja-Kaduna Train attack to facilitate the release of the kidnapped passengers was subjected to thorough investigations by the Egyptian security agencies who were said not to have found anything incriminating on him.
The Egyptian security operatives but could not find anything incriminating but could not release him to continue his journey with the family members to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj. This is because the Egyptian security agencies were working with the Nigeria Police Force, NPF and the DSS.
Peter Ifunnanya, DSS, spokesperson, had confirm that Mamu was arrested by the Nigerian’s Foreign partners, INTERPOL, in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, on his way to Saudi Arabia and returned to the country on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 He was said to have be taken into the service custody to help in their ongoing investigations of the Nigerian security matters.
The arrest of Mamu, was said to have thrown the Islamic Fundamentalist Group, BokoHaram and the Islamic State of West African, ISWAP, based on the north east and the Bandits Group, based in the north east and north west geopolitical regions respectively, and the north central state of Niger into total confusion on how to withdraw of money to sustain their operations as Mamu , their source of withdrawing bank is currently in DSS, custody.
Giving a breakdown of the incriminating items that were said to have been recovered by the DSS personnel that were deployed to search Mamu’s residence and office, in a duly signed warrant by a Court of Law include $151, 20 pounds sterling, 1,530 India rupees, one Saudi Arabia riyal, 70 dirhams, N1,506,000.00 and six assorted foreign coins.
Others include two packs of pump action cartridges, 16 Auto -mated machine , ATM, cards for both local and foreign banks, seven cheque books of different Banks, six Laptops, four tablets, 24 handsets, and three International Passports belonging to him as well as fire arm license. This in addition to eight pieces of Nigeria Army Uniforms and 16 pieces of Nigerian Navy uniforms.
Between August 27, 2022, and now, the wings of the BokoHaram ISWAP, which had crated cells in Niger state, and Bandits Group wings appear to have been clipped as they could no longer launch attack attack on any community and escape. The military and the DSS, according to informed sources appear to to have dominated the war front.
Unconfirmed report shows that Sheikh Gumi Media Consultant arrest in Egypt followed the request by Nigeria’s military, and Usman Alkali Baba led NPF, and other security agencies to their Foreign partners ‘’to arrest Mamu anywhere found and bring him back to Nigeria ‘’to answer critical questions on the ongoing investigations relating to the security matters of the country’’, The Nigerian security agencies Chiefs may have contacted their Foreign partners when information filtered out that he has beaten the security to leave the country .
The saying that every day is for the thief and one day is for the owner of the house may have become a reality in the case of Mamu. The DSS, has made known in its affidavit, that was said to have been filed before Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court in the FCT, based on their findings that he was ‘’involved in the funding of International and Local terrorism’’.
The Bichi led DSS, was said to have claimed in the affidavit filed before the trial Court that the Desert Hearald Publisher ‘’shares information with terrorist groups’’, that was said to have escalated terrorism and Banditry in the country.
Preliminary Investigation report that was said to have been published by the DSS, reveals amongst others, ‘’the offences that was said to have been committed by the logistic supplier,’’ aiding and abetting acts of terrorism,as well as terrorism financing’’. The DSS, may have come to the conclusion that Mamu ‘’used the cover of his Profession as a Journalist to give out secret information to both the Local and International terrorist groups to aid their attack in different parts of the country, thus escalating the crisis. Many believe that the arrest and detention of Mamu, by the DSS, may have started his journey to jail because of his actions over the years which ‘’has orchestrated the untimely death of several security personnel’’ and millions of civilians in the north west, north central and north eastern geo-political regions’.
The DSS may have come to the conclusion that Mamu was deeply involved in terrorism activities in the country because ‘’the investigations had assumed a wider dimension and sophistication requiring time and advanced expertise’’.
There is no gain saying the fact that the arrest and trial of Mamu may have opened the door way for the security agencies including the NPF to intensify the search for the other suspects who were said to be were working with him but have disappeared to thin air to evade arrest. The suspects who were said to have escaped when information filtered out thatMamu, the lead Negotiator for the Abuja-Kaduna Train attack with the terrorists have been arrested and detained by the DSS.
Ahmed Magaji the DSS Counsel, had sought the permission of the trial Court to detain Mamu for 60 more days pending the conclusion of the investigation on him. He was said to have told the Trial Court that the activities of Mamu and his runaway associates ‘’constitute a potent threat the unity and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria’’.
Magaji, the DSS Counsel, may have been able to convince the trial Court that ‘’it is in the interest of justice and national security to grant the application for Mamu to be detained for the. He had his way.
In an apparent reaction to Mamu’s detention by DSS, sheikh Gumi, described as Mamu mentor, in security circles, has asked the Intelligence security agency, ‘’ to ether charge the Desert Herald Publisher to Court to face trial or release him from detention’’, adding that ‘’keeping him in custody was intimidating his family’’. Sheik Gumi, may have spoken his mind at his usual preaching at Sultan Bello Mosque on Saturday, September 10, 2022 but that was how far he could go.
The DSS, may not bow to pressure from Sheik Gumi and cohorts to drag his Media Consultant to Court to face trial because of the incriminating exhibits and items that were said to have been recovered in his Kaduna residence and office which ‘’clearly established his complicity with the Terrorists and Bandits during a search’’ .
