Sheikh Gumi accuses DSS of terrorism following arrest of terrorist negotiator, Mamu

Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has broken his silence following the arrest of his spokesman and self-styled terrorists negotiator, Tukur Mamu, by the Directorate of State Services (DSS).

Mamu, a journalist and publisher was arrested by operatives of the Interpol last Tuesday at the Cairo International Airport on his way to Saudi Arabia and returned to Nigeria where he has been in the detention centre of the DSS.

The Service had released a statement saying Mamu was a “person of interest” and had some answers to provide on his links with terrorists who attacked and abducted passengers on a Kaduna bound train from Abuja on March 28.

However, the Kaduna-based Islamic scholar has accused the DSS of carrying out acts of terrorism against Mamu, calling for him to be released or charged to court.

Gumi, a retired military officer, said anybody arrested over an alleged crime needs to be taken to court within 24 hours.

Read also: Sheikh Gumi launches Nomadic Rights group to protect Fulani people

Gumi who made the charge at his weekly sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna, said Mamu was arrested because of his role in assisting victims of terrorist attacks.

“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,” Gumi said.

“How can we continue in this situation under a government that is about to wind up? Our hope is for them to finish successfully not in a bad light.

“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,” he declared.

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