Kaduna Train Attack: DSS Witness Says Tukur Mamu Was Offered N50m by Terrorist Leader

A Department of State Services (DSS) investigator on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that terrorist leader Shugaba offered Mr. Tukur Mamu a N50 million share from ransom payments linked to the 2022 Abuja–Kaduna train attack.

The operative, testifying as the sixth prosecution witness (PW-6) in Mamu’s ongoing terrorism trial, gave his evidence before Justice Mohammed Umar while being led by DSS counsel, David Kaswe.

Testifying from behind a protective screen, the witness said the terror group also asked Mamu to teach them how to create websites for their activities.

He made the disclosures while interpreting four voice notes played in court, which captured phone conversations between Mamu and the terrorists who held passengers of the attacked train hostage. According to him, the recordings were extracted from Mamu’s mobile devices during interrogation after his arrest in Egypt and extradition to Nigeria.

“The first voice note that played was the defendant fixing a date for delivery of ransom. The second voice note was from Shugaba, who appreciated the defendant’s effort and asked him to remove N50 million for his personal use from a tranche of ransom,” the witness said.

He added that in another recording, the group’s spokesperson, Baba Adamu, requested that Mamu procure speakers and a public address system for their preaching, and Mamu responded that he would look into it. The group also asked him to teach them how to build a website.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mamu allegedly persuaded the terrorists to negotiate ransom directly with the families of abducted train passengers rather than through the Chief of Defence Staff committee set up by the Federal Government, allegedly for personal financial gain. He was said to have been nominated by the terrorists shortly after the March 2022 attack and was accused of collecting and confirming ransom amounts from families before facilitating their delivery.

PW-6 told the court that after Mamu was flown back from Egypt, he handed his Samsung tablet and two phones to DSS officials. The witness said investigations revealed that while in Egypt, Mamu called his in-law, Mubarak Tinja, instructing him to remove cash, cars, and other valuables from his Kaduna residence to avoid detection.

“A duly endorsed search warrant was executed in his property and office, during which cash in local and foreign currencies, vehicles, and other valuables were recovered,” he said.

Investigators later traced some of the items, including about $300,000 and seven vehicles, among them a Toyota Camry (Muscle), Peugeot 5008, Lexus, Mercedes E350, and Hyundai. Relevant vehicle documents were tendered and admitted in evidence.

The witness said Mamu’s devices were sent to DSS forensic analysts, whose findings— including the voice notes—were presented during interrogation. He added that Mamu admitted instructing Mubarak to move his valuables and acknowledged communicating with the terrorists via voice notes.

Mamu also admitted owning a pump-action gun recovered from his home, though investigators found the licence had expired in December 2021—nine months before his arrest.

Kaswe tendered the recorded voice notes stored in compact discs and flash drives, which were admitted after the defence reserved its objection for the final address. The recordings were subsequently played in court.

The witness further revealed that two victims submitted written statements describing their ordeal, but both expressed unwillingness to testify in court due to fear and trauma. Their statements—one in English and one in Hausa—were admitted as exhibits without objection.

The court also admitted eight statements made by Mamu during interrogation, as well as video recordings of the sessions.

Kaswe informed the court that the prosecution would file an application requesting that the court visit the location where Mamu’s recovered items are kept.

Justice Umar adjourned the matter until November 26 at 11am for continuation of trial.

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