Details of how the publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, and bandits’ negotiator, Malam Tukur Mamu was arrested and deported back to the country has emerged.
Sources close to Mr Tukur say the federal government surreptitiously contrived the arrest and deportation of the publisher as well as members of his family while on their way to the holy land for lesser Hajj.
On Monday, September 5, 2022, Mamu alongside his family were headed to Saudi Arabia to perform Lesser Hajj.
They travelled through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and departed at exactly 2:00 pm aboard Egypt Airlines. They were expected to return to Nigeria on 20th September 2022.
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A family source said: “Immediately after their departure, we received credible information that men and officers of NIA had stormed the airport with intent to stop him from travelling.
“But their attempt to frustrate the journey was not successful as he has already left the airport en route Cairo. But in their desperation to extract a pound of flesh, they forcefully retrieved copies of his travelling documents from immigration.
“On arrival in Cairo, Malam Tukur Mamu and family members were arrested and detained for almost 24 hours and later deported back to Nigeria on the strict request and instructions of the Nigerian government.
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“Mallam Tukur Mamu is a responsible citizen who voluntary engaged in negotiations that led to the release of about 20 passengers of the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna AK9 train hijacked by gunmen.
“His patriotic mission to ensure the safety of the hapless passengers made him a target of blackmail by unscrupulous elements in the government who are hell-bent on punishing him for this noble but dangerous sacrifice for the fatherland. Such threats and intimidations have forced him to reveal a number of times that his life was under serious threat.
“Due to numerous threats to his life and conspiracy from the side of security agents to frame him, he withdrew from the said negotiations but from his latest sojourn, it appears that those who are desperately baying for his head are still hell-bent on carrying out their odious dastardly plans.
“But it is our fervent hope that the evil machination of these desperate elements will be nicked by the fact that Allah is always by the side of the oppressed. This evil machination like the ones before it, shall also not come to pass.“