Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have reportedly invaded the Kaduna residence of the arrested terrorists’ negotiator, Tukur Mamu, in the early hours of Thursday.

The operatives reportedly came in about 20 vehicles in what a witness described as a commando-styled operation.

“They ransacked the house and carted away documents, phones and laptops. 

“Those in the house were ordered to sign a document before the officers took it back,” the witness said.

Daily Trust gathered that after raiding his house, they also went to his office in Kaduna.

Freed victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack converged on Mamu’s office before reuniting with their families.

Security sources said Mamu was arrested for his alleged involvement in collecting ransom and taking same to terrorists in exchange for kidnapped victims.

Daily Trust had reported how Mamu was arrested at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano on Wednesday afternoon.

The Kaduna-based publisher who was first arrested in Egypt was detained for 24 hours before he was flown back to Nigeria.

Daily Trust observed that while the Egypt Air aircraft, which conveyed him and his family members, touched down in Kano around 1:55pm, he was immediately picked up.

DSS operatives were stationed at the entrance of the international wing of the airport several minutes before the aircraft landed.

Heavily armed operatives who were also in company of others dressed in mufti, were on guard at the entrance of the arrival section of the international wing of the airport where three vehicles – two hilux and one hiace – with Kano vehicle number plates parked by the entrance.

As passengers began to file out from the arrival section, one of the hilux moved forward while the luggage, presumably of Mamu and his family members were loaded in one of the vehicles, and the one which picked Mamu zoomed off.

In a statement, DSS Spokesman, Peter Afunanya, confirmed Mamu’s arrest, saying the agency was grilling him over security issues.

“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 on-going investigations relating to some security matters in parts of the country”.

Some of the security sources said beyond his relationship with insurgents in Nigeria, Mamu was also arrested because of his “strong ties with a terror group in Sinai area in Egypt”.

Sinai Peninsula is the Northeastern extremity of Egypt and adjoins Israel and the Gaza Strip on the East. Like in Nigeria, despite the decrease in the frequency of attacks in recent years, militants remain active and pose a serious threat to Egyptian security operatives and other symbols of Sinai.

Mamu yesterday denied wrongdoing saying he was on a legitimate journey to Saudi Arabia.

A source in one of the intelligence outfits in Nigeria said Mamu’s arrest was beyond his activities in Nigeria.

“He was arrested in Egypt based on Advance Passenger Information (API) because he came under international security scrutiny following his activities here at home and beyond the shores of Nigeria shortly after the Kaduna train attack,” he said.

“I can assure you that Mamu has high linkage with terror groups in Egypt, especially in Sinai and by extension Libya, the Sahel and other parts of West Africa on this side, and the Middle East on the other side.

“He has collected over N2bn in ransom for terrorists with some of the payments made in US dollars by desperate families and negotiated the release of their loved ones…We have been monitoring all his activities and evidence abound to hold him to account,” he said.