September 13, 2022

A Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday, granted a prayer by the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain the former terrorists’ negotiator, Tukur Mamu, for 60 more days.

Justice Nkeonye Maha, in a short ruling on the ex-parte motion moved by counsel for the DSS, Ahmed Magaji, granted the motion as prayed.

The security outfit, in the motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1617/2022 dated and filed Sept. 12, had urged the court to grant its reliefs to enable it conclude its investigation on Mamu, who had been leading the negotiation with the terrorists for the release of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers kidnaped in March.

Mamu was, on Sept. 6, arrested in Cairo, capital of Egypt, with his family members by foreign security agents.

Mamu, who was on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj, was detained at Cairo International Airport before being repatriated back to Nigeria.

The DSS had, on Sunday, warned Nigerians over making comments on its arrest of Mamu.

The DSS, in a statement by its Spokesman, Peter Afunaya, asked the public to leave the agency alone and allow it to concentrate on the investigations which it said the outcomes had been “mindboggling.”

This comes hours after the Islamic cleric, Sheik Gumi, to whom Mamu is an aide, had faulted the arrest of the negotiator.

Gumi, at a religious gathering on Friday in Kaduna, had asked the security agency to charge Mamu to court of it had any evidence against him, rather than keeping him in custody.

Reacting in its statement, the security outfit said, “The DSS has followed, with keen observation, overzealous comments by sections of the public in view of issues relating to the arrest and investigation of Tukur Mamu.”

“The service wishes to state that it is not distracted with some of the skewed narratives pervading the media space. Instead, it requests to be left alone to concentrate on the ongoing investigations, the outcomes of which have remained mindboggling.”

“Meanwhile, the service will cease further comments on the subject matter since the court will determine its course.

“Consequently, the public is hereby enjoined to desist from making unguarded utterances and await the court proceedings.”(NAN)