By Ismail Auwal
The attackers of the Abuja-Kaduna Train are reportedly responsible for the Tuesday night attack on the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja according to Malam Tukur Mamu, the lead negotiator for the release of the kidnapped victims of the train.
Mamu claimed that terrorists had hinted him about the attack on the custodial facility and others, which he then passed on to Nigeria’s security agencies, who did not act.
Mamu, who is the publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper based in Kaduna claimed that he had shared the intelligence with the security agencies and the committee that was constituted by CDS Gen. Lucky Irabor.
“Ihave shared that Ican confirm without doubt that the Kuje Correctional Centre attack was executed and coordinated by the same group that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train, because they gave indications of imminent attacks to that effect which I shared,” he said.
He further said that the terrorist requested for the release of 51 of their members. But through power of dialogue and engagement I was able to singlehandedly scaled that number to only 10 and communicated with audio backing the development to the relevant authorities.
“There was unnecessary delay on giving them even a precise feedback by the government and now they have not only succeeded in carrying out another successful attack that indicts the nature of our intelligence and capacity to respond promptly but have also succeeded in releasing dozens of their members which would have been averted if action has been taken to give them only 10 and secure the release of the train victims,” he added.
Mamu, who is also the media consultant to the popular Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi, said he was quitting the voluntary assignment of negotiation with the terrorists over government’s insincere attitude.
The publisher in a statement said his own life was in danger, adding that if anything untoward happens to him, the terrorists should not be blamed but the corrupt system.
He said that his decision was informed by his frustration and failure of relevant government officials to do the needful in avoiding the Kuje Prison attack and the continued sufferings of the abducted train passengers.
