Sheikh Gumi Blows hot, Accuses DSS of Terrorism over Arrest of Terrorist negotiator, Tukur Mamu
Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has accused the Department of State Services (DSS) of terrorism over the arrest of Tukur Mamu.
Desert
Mamu, who is the Publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper in Kaduna, was until recently negotiated the release of some of the hostages in the March 2022 train abduction in Kaduna.
He was arrested on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at Cairo International Airport, Egypt alongside his family.
After he was repatriated on Wednesday, the DSS alerted the general public that Mamu was in their custody, stating that the spokesman to Gumi has questions to answer on the terrorism ravaging the nation.
However, during a sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque, Gumi demanded immediate action from the DSS, asking the service to either release the suspect or quickly charge him to court.
The outspoken cleric said the Nigerian constitution provides that anyone arrested over an alleged crime must be taken to court for trial within 24 hours.
Reacting to how the suspect was arrested and how his home was raided in Kaduna State, Gumi opined that intimidation from the secret police is also an act of terrorism.
He said, “Take him to court to face trial. Keeping him in custody despite being a family man was just to intimidate him. This intimidation is also terrorism. Arresting people unjustly is also terrorism; just like the terrorists do by going to somebody’s house to kidnap him.
“It’s not about Tukur Mamu, you all know that whenever they arrest innocent people, I always talk, not to talk of someone that I know and I’m only advising the government to release him so that we can apologize to him to forget what happened.”
Meanwhile, a family member has confirmed that Mamu’s two wives who were deported with him had been released and returned to Kaduna.
The family source who pleaded anonymity for fear of intimidation said Mamu’s family had been traumatised by “the intimidation of operatives of the DSS” adding that over 50 personnel had raided the home and office of the publisher.
“We are still in trauma and shock over this intimidation. We call on conscientious Nigerians not to allow this injustice to prevail. This is a man who put his life at stake for the sake of others, yet all he could get was harassment, intimidation, and threats to life. This can only happen in a country that has suppressed the rule of law and rights of its citizens,” he said.
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