Court rejects alleged terrorists’ negotiator Tukur Mamu’s third bail application, cites DSS diligence
A Federal High Court in Abuja has once again denied bail to detained alleged terrorists’ negotiator, Tukur Mohammed Mamu, marking the third time his application for bail has been rejected since his arraignment.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, Justice Mohammed Umar dismissed Mamu’s fresh bail application, which was based on claims of deteriorating health.
The judge held that the Department of State Services (DSS)
the agency detaining Mamu had demonstrated due diligence in its handling of the case and had been responsive to the defendant’s welfare.
Justice Umar noted that one of the key grounds for granting bail is when the prosecution fails to show diligence in handling the case. However, in Mamu’s situation, the DSS had “exhibited commitment and diligence,” leaving the court with no reason to grant bail.
The judge further directed that Mamu’s lawyer should select a hospital of choice where the defendant could be taken for medical attention under DSS supervision. He also ordered the DSS to grant Mamu access to members of his family while in custody.
This latest decision makes it the third time the court has rejected Mamu’s bail request since his arraignment on March 21, 2023, on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing and related offences.
Mamu, a former aide to Kaduna-based cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was arrested on September 7, 2022, by Egyptian security operatives at Cairo International Airport while on transit to Saudi Arabia, following intelligence reports linking him to terrorist financing.
According to the Federal Government, Mamu allegedly acted as a negotiator between Boko Haram terrorists and the families of victims of the March 28, 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack, during which several passengers were killed and many abducted.
The prosecution alleged that Mamu collected ransom payments from victims’ families on behalf of the terrorists, confirmed the sums, and facilitated their delivery to the insurgents a role the government said amounted to aiding and financing terrorism.
The court has adjourned further proceedings in the matter, even as Mamu continues to remain in DSS custody pending trial.
