THE Department of State Services (DSS) has said that the detained negotiator between the Federal government and terrorists who attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28 this year, Tukur Mamu, was an international terror financier that was using the cover of journalism to perpetrate crime.
The allegation was part of an affidavit presented before a Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, Tuesday, September 12, to secure the court’s permission to keep Mamu in custody for a period of 60 days pending the conclusion of its investigation.
In the affidavit filed by the DSS lawyer, U. N. Dauda, the agency noted that Mamu, who had negotiated the release of some victims kidnapped during the attack, was arrested on his way to an international terrorism summit in Egypt.
The DSS begged the court to allow it keep Mamu in custody for further investigation because it had established acts of terrorism financing against him.
The affidavit stated, “The self-acclaimed Kaduna train negotiator exploited the opportunity to perpetrate, aid and abet, as well as render support to both local and international terrorist organisations.
“He was intercepted by the Nigerian foreign partners at Cairo, Egypt, on September 6, 2022, while on his way to Saudi Arabia for a clandestine meeting with commanders and top leaders of terrorists organisations across the globe.”
The deponent said that upon his interception, and subsequent repatriation back to Nigeria, a duly signed search warrant was executed in his residence and office at No. 4, Ali Ladan Street, Sabon Kawo GRA, and No. 14, Mamona Road, Anguwan Sarki, Kaduna State, and various exhibits and items to establish his complicity with terrorists were recovered.
Items the agency said it recovered from Mamu’s residence and office included $151,20 pounds sterling, 1,530 Indian rupees, one Saudi riyald, 70 dirham, N1.506 million, and 16 assorted foreign coins.
The DSS also alleged it recovered two packs of pump action cartridges, 16 ATM cards from both local and foreign banks, seven cheque books of different banks, six laptops, four tablets, 24 handsets, three international passports belonging to Mamu, one firearm licence, eight pieces of Nigerian Army uniforms, and 16 pieces of Nigerian Naval uniforms.
The agency claimed that the “preliminary investigation so far established, among others, the offences of logistic supplier, aiding and abetting acts of terrorism, as well as terrorism financing.”
Following the submission, the presiding judge, Nkeonye Maha, ordered that Mamu be detained for the next 60 days.
Maha added that if the DSS was not done with its investigation within the 60-day period, the agency can come back to the court to renew the detention order.
