Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, granted a request by the Federal Government for the protection of witnesses in the case filed against Tukur Mamu.
The Federal Government is prosecuting Mamu over his alleged relationship with terrorists that were involved in the 2022 attack on a Kaduna-bound train.
Justice Ekwo granted the request following an ex-parte motion moved by the counsel for the Office of the Attorney-General for the Federation (AGF), D.E. Kaswe to that effect.
In the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/96/2023, the Federal Government prayed the court for an order excluding persons, other than parties and their legal representatives at the hearing of the above named charge except members of the accredited press.
“An order vacating the court room whenever the prosecution witnesses are coming to testify.
“An order shielding the physical identity of the prosecution witnesses by wearing facial masks and or the use of screen whenever prosecution witnesses are testifying as well as an order directing the use of pseudo names by prosecution witnesses and deleting the real names and addresses of prosecution witnesses throughout the proceedings of the case.
Justice Ekwo granted all the reliefs sought in the motion.
Earlier, when the matter was called, Mamu, who was the sole defendant in the charge, was not in court.
Kaswe then told the court that Mamu was still on his way with the security operatives and urged the court to stand down the matter for Mamu to be in court, a request the court refused.
Kaswe then informed the court of the motion ex-parte already filed and sought a permission to take the motion, but Mamu’s lawyer, Abdul Mohammed (SAN) opposed the application, describing it as an attempt to stall proceedings already scheduled to commence trial.
Justice Ekwo consequently adjourned the matter till July 21 for commencement of trial.
Mamu, a former terrorists’ negotiator, was, on March 21, arraigned by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on a 10-count charge, bordering on terrorism financing, especially on the Abuja-Kaduna train attack. He however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Mamu was arrested on September 6, 2022, on his way to Saudi Arabia for Lesser Hajj and was detained at Cairo International Airport before being repatriated to Nigeria.
He was accused of aiding and abetting Boko Haram terrorism attacks against innocent Nigerians. He was also accused of collecting various sums of money in various currencies on behalf of Boko Haram terrorists from the families of the train attack.
Mamu was said to have collected $420, 000 from families of the attack, and another N21 million from other set of families of the train attack as well as concealing the terrorism funds in his Kaduna residence in violation of provisions of the Terrorism Prevention, Prohibition Act.
Mamu however, pleaded not guilty to the charge