The family of embattled bandit negotiator who was arrested by the Department of Security Services (DSS), on Friday said the military accoutrements security agents found in the Desert Herald publisher’s home belongs to his nephew who is an officer of the Nigerian Navy.
BASIC FACTS
- The family of Tukur Mamu, the man who negotiated with bandits and kidnappers have explained why military items were found in his house.
- The DSS spokesman Peter Afunaya had disclosed that the agency found military accoutrements and hard currency in the house of Mamu, who is also the publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper.
- Tukur Mamu was arrested in Egypt on Tuesday by the Interpol and repatriated to Nigeria.
WHAT WE KNOW
The family of Tukur Mamu the detained publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper, who doubles as the spokesman for Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi and negotiator for bandits has given reason why military items were found in his house.
Mamu’s family in response to a raid carried out on Mamu’s Kaduna home and office, by the DSS who had revealed that it recovered military accessories, different currencies and denominations and other “incriminating materials.” described the allegations as untrue.
The spokesperson of the DSS, Peter Afunanya had said Mamu, who is in their custody together with his eldest son, Faisal, and his brother in-law, Ibrahim Tinja, would be charged to court.
However, reacting to the allegations in a statement with the management of Desert Herald, the Kaduna based newspaper owned by Mamu, the family said the DSS account was cooked up allegations.
The statement, issued by Desert Herald newspaper’s head, Special Operations and Production Manager, Ibrahim Mada, stated that the DSS made blanket statements without bothering to give details despite the critical question of national security, which they claimed was the underlying reason for Mamu’s arrest.
Mamu’s family members in shock, narrated how DSS operatives broke into his wives rooms, stated that the military items found in his house belong to his nephew who is a naval officer.
The family claimed that the said nephew grew up in Mamu’s house. For the hard currency, the family said the amount when converted to naira is less than N1.5m
NOTABLE QUOTE
The statement noted, “the cooked up and phantom allegations the Department of Security Services (DSS) concocted in its desperation to give the publisher a bad name in order to rope him.”
“We view this deliberate distortion of facts with the intention of twisting narratives about Tukur Mamu with exception,” it stated.
“the department made allusions that military accoutrements and hard currency were found in the home of Tukur Mamu with a view to sway public opinion against the publisher who has made supreme sacrifices towards nixing the raging insecurity in the land.”
“The public may wish to know that the military accoutrements found in the home of the publisher belongs to his nephew who is an officer of the Nigerian Navy. Tukur Mamu who played the role of a father, was responsible for the upkeep and school expenses of the nephew till he enrolled in the Nigerian Navy.”
“Again in its desperation to smear the name of Mamu, the DSS said it has found huge amount of hard currency without stating how much it found. It is incumbent for the general public to know that the total amount of the hard currency found in Mamu’s house if converted into naira is less that N1.5m, yet the DSS is trying to make the situation look bad by saying huge haul of hard currency was found in his house.”
“At this point it is pertinent to ask when does it become a crime for someone to within his income limit had foreign currency in his house? Or is it a crime for one to have a member of his family in the Nigerian Armed Forces?”
“This distortion of information and media trial against Mamu is a pointer to the desperation of the DSS to rope the man at all cost for the sacrifices he is making to ensure an end to the raging insecurity in the land.”
COMMENTARY
Recall that earlier this week, Clariform Newsdesk had reported the arrest of the publisher, bandits negotiator and spokesman for Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi in Egypt while he attempted boarding a flight to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.
By Wednesday, the arrested Tukur Mamu was deported back to Nigeria and arrested by the DSS, which confirmed it had him on Thursday and searched his house and office by same Thursday.
Definitely Tukur Mamu and his family members in the DSS custody will have a tough time proving their innocence.
Nigerians are certainly in a hurry to see the end of this matter, as banditry has negatively impacted all facet of social and economic life in the North and across the country.
The nation can only hope the investigation is thorough, the accused charged to court speedily so justice can be served quickly.
The essence of speedily trial can’t be over emphasized, as it provides a window for the detained to be acquitted if not guilty or sentenced if found culpable.
