The Department of State Service (DSS) has received a warning from the management of Desert Herald on what it dubbed the media trial of its publisher, Malam Tukur Mamu, who is now currently under detention in DSS’ facility.
The management further clarified that the ‘Military Accoutrements’ discovered by DSS agents at Mamu’s home belonged to the son, a Naval Officer, in a statement released by its Head of Special Projects, Ibrahim Mada, on Friday.
In the early hours of Friday, the secret police also conducted raids on the residences of Mamu’s in-law and other family members.
As the DSS carried out its raid on the homes of its publisher, his in-law, and other family members, the management pleaded with it to refrain from conducting a media trial.
The statement read, “We urge the Department of State Service to avoid media trial of Malam Tukur Mamu (Dan Iyan Fika), Publisher, Desert Herald Newspaper whom they arrested and kept in detention since on Tuesday 6th September.
“The DSS in a Press Release on Thursday 8th September 2022 titled ‘UPDATE ON TUKUR MAMU’ claimed during their raids on his residence and office in Kaduna that a large sum of money in various currencies and denominations, as well as military accoutrements, were recovered.
“While the DSS did not indicate the actual amount of the so-called large sum found in his house and office, we want to make it clear, that the ‘military accoutrements’ found in his house are military kits (uniform and barret) belonging to his son, Yahaha Bello, a Naval officer who graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy(NDA).
“Bello was brought up by Tukur and he lives in his house.
“Recall that about two weeks ago, Tukur Mamu’s. younger brother, Muhammad Saleh Mamu, an Air Force officer was killed while on a counter-terrorism mission in Zamfara.”
The management said DSS stormed one Abdullahi Mashi’s home, who is thought to be Mamu’s in-law, and left with hander phones, cash, and other valuables in the house before escorting him away. This provided more information about the raids by the Nigerian secret police on the homes of Mamu’s in-law and other families.
“Apart from detaining Tukur Mamu with his two sons, Faisal Tukur Mamu and Ibrahim Husaini Mamu, DSS operatives early this morning, at 12 am (Friday 9th September 2022) stormed the residence of Abdullahi Mashi collected handset phones of the residents as well as cash and other valuable in the house and whisked him away. Mashi is an in-law to Mamu.
“The DSS also raided the apartment of Ibrahim Husaini Mamu at about 3am this morning. They could not find anything incriminating in all the houses they raided,” the statement added.
According to reports, Mamu was detained on Tuesday in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, after withdrawing from negotiations with the terrorists who assaulted the passengers of the AK-9 train traveling from Abuja to Kaduna on March 28.
The negotiator for the terrorists is rumored to have been detained in Egypt together with his family.
Mamu was reportedly stopped at the Cairo International Airport while en route to Saudi Arabia for the smaller Hajj.
The management of the Desert Herald Newspaper confirmed the arrest and said that it was an attempt to intimidate the publication’s publisher.
