A Federal High Court in Abuja has given the Department of State Services (DSS) the go-ahead to detain Tukur Mamu, the Kaduna train attack terrorists’ negotiator, for 60 more days.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nkeonye Maha, the presiding judge, issued the ruling on Tuesday in response to an ex-parte motion moved by Ahmed Magaji, counsel for the DSS.
In the motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1617/2022 and dated September 12, the DSS urged the court to grant its request to enable it to conclude the investigation on Mamu.
Mamu, an aide to Ahmad Gumi, a popular Islamic cleric, has been involved in negotiations for the release of persons abducted during an attack on a train in Kaduna, in March 2022.
Commenting on his arrest, Gumi had said detaining Mamu is an act of terrorism and that the DSS should either charge him to court or release him.
Reacting in a statement on Sunday, Peter Afunaya, DSS spokesperson, said the security agency would not be distracted by “skewed utterances”.
He described the outcome of the agency’s investigation on Mamu as “mind-boggling”.
“The service wishes that it is not distracted with some of the skewed narratives pervading the media space,” the DSS spokesperson said.
“Instead, it requests to be left alone to concentrate on the ongoing investigations, the outcomes of which have remained mind-boggling.
“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.”