Tobias Sylvester
The Federal Government has arraigned a former terrorist negotiator, Tukur Mamu, on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing.
Mamu, a publisher of Desert Herald, was arraigned on Tuesday by the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) before a federal high court in Abuja.
The ex-terrorist negotiator, however, pleaded not guilty to all the 10-count charges of terrorism financing preferred against him, insisting that he had no allegiance to the terrorists.
Mamu is alleged to have received $120,000 as ransom payments on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorist group. The monies were said to have been received from families of hostages kidnapped during the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
He was also accused of exchanging voice note communications relating to the hostages with one Baba Adamu, a Boko Haram spokesperson.
The attorney general also alleged that Mamu, sometime in the 2022 in Kaduna received ransom payments in the sum of NSOO, 000 on behalf of the Boko haram terrorist group from families of hostages (victims) of the Abuja/Kaduna train attack.
Mamu is also accused of exchanging voice note communications in relation to acts of terrorism with one Baba Adamu (a Boko Haram spokesperson)
The federal government also accused Mamu of dealing in terrorist funds in the sum of 300,000 dollars which were found in his possession.
The federal government said the offence contravenes the provisions of Section 21 (3) (a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Tukur Mamu, who was at the forefront of negotiations for the release of the Abuja-Kaduna train captives, was arrested with his family in Cairo, Egypt’s capital.
The publisher of Desert Herald was detained with his family members at Cairo International Airport while they were on their way for lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The Egyptian authorities repatriated Mamu back to Nigeria before he was arrested again by DSS operatives at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
The Kaduna publisher, who is currently in the custody of the DSS to answer questions related to some critical security matters, was arrested together with his family shortly after he was repatriated to Nigeria from Egypt.
