The Federal High Court in Abuja has heard compelling evidence suggesting that Tukur Mamu, an alleged terrorists’ negotiator, was offered N50 million by ‘Shugaba,’ the leader of a terrorist group, as a personal reward from ransom funds. This revelation came during Mamu’s ongoing terrorism trial, where a Department of State Services (DSS) official, testifying as the sixth prosecution witness, detailed audio recordings extracted from the defendant’s mobile devices. These recordings purportedly captured extensive conversations between Mamu and key members of the terrorist group.

According to the DSS witness, one significant audio clip played in court featured the voice of Shugaba, who praised Mamu’s efforts and explicitly instructed him to “remove N50 million” for his personal use from a ransom Mamu was expected to deliver on behalf of the terrorists. The witness confirmed identifying multiple voices during the investigation, all sourced from Mamu’s Samsung tablet and two mobile phones, which were seized following his arrest.

Mamu was initially detained by Egyptian authorities on September 7, 2022, at Cairo International Airport due to suspicions of financing Boko Haram activities, before being repatriated to Nigeria. He faces charges of inserting himself into negotiations between families of victims abducted during the March 2022 Abuja–Kaduna train attack and the responsible terrorist group, allegedly for personal financial gain. Prosecutors contend that the attackers nominated him to coordinate ransom discussions and that he collected payments on their behalf, including an aggregate of $420,000 and N21 million from different families, and N500,000 on behalf of the Boko Haram group.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel David Kaswe, the DSS witness narrated that after Mamu’s arrest, he contacted his in-law, Mubarak Tinja, directing him to remove cash, vehicles, and other valuables from his residence to prevent their discovery by security operatives. Subsequent execution of a search warrant at Mamu’s Kaduna home and office reportedly led to the recovery of cash in both local and foreign currencies, as well as several vehicles. Items traced to other locations, allegedly moved on Mamu’s directive, included approximately $300,000 and seven vehicles, such as a Toyota Camry (Muscle), a Peugeot 5008, a Lexus, a Mercedes E350, and Hyundai models. Documents relating to these vehicles were admitted as evidence by the court.

The witness further stated that Mamu voluntarily handed over his tablet and phones to the DSS exhibit keeper, which were then forwarded for forensic analysis. This analysis uncovered numerous voice notes between Mamu and the terrorists, which were played back to the defendant during interrogation. Mamu reportedly admitted instructing Mubarak to remove valuables and acknowledged communicating with the terrorists via voice notes. Another key finding was a pump-action gun recovered from Mamu’s home, which he claimed was licensed; however, investigators discovered the license had expired in December 2021, nine months before his arrest.

Details of the audio conversations revealed various requests from the terrorists. One voice note contained a request from the terrorist spokesman, Baba Adamu, seeking Mamu’s guidance on how to build a website and help procure a public-address system for their preaching activities. The witness noted that about 98 percent of the extracted audio was in Hausa, necessitating some translations due to the volume of recordings. Compact discs and a flash drive containing these voice notes were tendered by the prosecution and admitted as evidence, with six recordings specifically played in court.

In the course of the investigation, two victims of the Abuja–Kaduna train attack provided written statements detailing their ordeals. Although they were unwilling to testify in court due to fear and trauma, their statements—one in English and the other in Hausa (translated into English)—were admitted into evidence. Additionally, eight statements made by Mamu to investigators, along with video recordings of his interview sessions, were also admitted by the court.

Prosecuting counsel David Kaswe informed the court of plans to file a formal application requesting a judicial visit to the storage facilities where recovered items from Mamu’s home and office are kept. Meanwhile, Mamu has initiated a separate fundamental rights suit against the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), challenging his designation as a “terrorist.” He argues that this label in the media violates the constitutional presumption of innocence, given that his trial is still ongoing. Justice Mohammed Umar adjourned the case until February 23, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses relating to Section 49 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution.