Nigeria train hostage negotiator arrested at Egypt

 

A prominent self appointed negotiator who facilitated the release of dozens of victims from armed kidnappers in Nigeria has been arrested at Egypt.

The Nigerian authorities say Tukur Mamu was seizes on Tuesday in Cairo(egypt) on his way to Saudi Arabia and has been repatriated.

He was reportedly travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (an Islamic activity that is not mandatory, not like the annual Hajj pilgrimage).

Nigerian (DSS), says Mr Mamu is in its custody to "answer critical questions on ongoing investigations relating to some security matters in Nigeria”.

Its spokesman Peter Afunanya says Mr Mamu’s arrest followed Nigeria’s request to ‘”foreign partners” to intercept Mr Mamu because he is a "person of interest".

Mr Mamu had negotiated with kidnappers who abducted nearly 100 passengers from a train travelling from Abuja, to the northern city of Kaduna in March 2022.

Most of the captives have been released reportedly after their families paid hundreds of thousands of dollars as ransom to the kidnappers.

Some of the people abducted are still in captivity six months after they were kidnapped.

Nigerian authorities said Boko Haram militants had teamed up with gunmen who carry out kidnappings for ransom to attack the train.

The victims included women, children and the elderly.