A witness from the Department of State Services (DSS) gave crucial testimony on Wednesday, revealing that Tukur Mamu was never appointed by the Federal Government to negotiate with the terrorists responsible for the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
Key Allegations Against Tukur Mamu
The DSS operative, whose identity remains protected for security reasons, testified before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Led in evidence by DSS lawyer David Kaswe, the witness stated that the defendant, who is facing charges of terrorism financing, acted entirely on his own for personal benefit.
The witness made several serious allegations against Mamu, claiming he encouraged terrorists to discuss ransom payments with victims' families, collected money on their behalf, confirmed payment amounts, and facilitated these payments illegally. Furthermore, the witness alleged that Mamu benefited financially from these negotiations and unlawfully possessed firearms.
Evidence of Suspicious Activities
According to the testimony, investigators recovered a large sum of money from Mamu's Kaduna residence that exceeded the threshold permitted by law. The witness also noted that Mamu's lifestyle changed significantly during the negotiation period, including the purchase of two luxury vehicles.
The witness detailed that Mamu was arrested while traveling to Egypt with four family members. He further alleged that Mamu provided terrorists with information on how to create a website and deliberately sidelined the official Chief of Defence Staff Committee that had been established to negotiate for the hostages' release.
Defence Challenges DSS Investigation
During cross-examination, defence counsel Johnson Usman, SAN, challenged several aspects of the DSS investigation. Usman questioned whether the DSS had verified how Mamu and his family traveled to Egypt, given that the agency has operatives at all Nigerian airports.
The witness responded that he was not aware of their travel details but confirmed that Mamu's passport was in DSS custody. When asked if he was a diligent investigator, the witness affirmed he was, though he admitted he did not open the defendant's passport during the investigation, stating it was unnecessary as he worked with a preliminary report.
Usman also highlighted inconsistencies in the negotiation timeline, noting that only one hostage had been released before Mamu's involvement. The defence suggested that the terrorists had asked victims to propose negotiators, and victims had suggested several names. The witness agreed that victims introduced names but insisted that only Mamu agreed to engage with the terrorists.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar has adjourned further cross-examination of the witness to January 29, 2026, allowing both sides to prepare for the next phase of the legal proceedings.
