A Department of State Services (DSS) witness has testified before a Federal High Court that alleged terrorist negotiator Tukur Mamu reportedly received N50 million from ‘Shugaba,’ the leader of the group behind the 2022 Abuja–Kaduna train attack and mass abduction.
Mamu, currently on trial for multiple terrorism-related charges, is accused of receiving ransom payments from families of the victims, facilitating transactions linked to terrorist financing, obstructing the committee led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in negotiations, and exchanging voice notes with a Boko Haram spokesperson, among other allegations.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the sixth prosecution witness stated that the group responsible for the abduction also asked Mamu to teach them how to create a website for their operations.
The court heard further claims from the DSS that Mamu had advised the group to bypass the government’s negotiation panel and instead negotiate directly with the relatives of abducted victims.
The witness, who translated audio recordings of Mamu’s interrogation conducted in Egypt prior to his repatriation, provided additional details to support the allegations.
Meanwhile, Mamu has filed a legal challenge against the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), seeking to overturn his designation as a “terrorist.”
He argues that this label infringes on his fundamental rights, emphasizing that he remains on trial and is presumed innocent under the law.
The case has been adjourned until February 23, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses regarding Section 49 of the Act and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.