A Department of State Services (DSS) investigator told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday that journalist Tukur Mamu was offered N50 million by Shugaba, the leader of the terrorist group responsible for the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

The DSS operative, testifying as the sixth prosecution witness (PW-6) in Mamu’s ongoing terrorism trial, claimed that the terrorist group also asked him to instruct them on setting up websites for their operations. He gave his testimony behind a witness screen for security reasons, while being led by DSS lawyer David Kaswe before Justice Mohammed Umar.

The witness said this while interpreting four voice notes played in court, which contained telephone interactions between Mamu and the terrorists who held train passengers hostage. The recordings were retrieved from Mamu’s mobile phones during interrogation after his arrest in Egypt and subsequent extradition to Nigeria.

“The first voice note had the defendant arranging a date for ransom delivery. The second, lasting five minutes, featured Shugaba appreciating the defendant’s efforts and instructing him to withdraw N50 million for personal use from a specific tranche of the ransom. In the final voice note, their spokesperson, Baba Adamu, requested the defendant’s assistance in procuring speakers and a public address system for their preaching activities, to which the defendant said he would look into it. They also requested he teach them how to set up a website for their activities,” the witness said.

According to the DSS, Mamu allegedly persuaded the terrorists to negotiate ransom payments directly with families of the hostages rather than the Chief of Defence Staff Committee set up by the Federal Government, allegedly for personal gain. The prosecution said Mamu facilitated the collection and delivery of ransom payments on behalf of the group.

The witness added that after Mamu was brought back from Egypt, he handed over his Samsung tablet and two mobile phones to DSS officials. Investigators discovered that, prior to his arrest, Mamu had instructed his in-law, Mubarak Tinja, to move cash, cars, and valuables from his residence to avoid detection by security agents. Investigators later recovered approximately $300,000 and seven vehicles, including a Toyota Camry, Peugeot 5008, Lexus, Mercedes E350, and Hyundai, along with relevant documents.

The forensic analysis of Mamu’s devices, including the extracted voice notes, was presented to the interrogation team and formed part of the evidence. During interviews, Mamu admitted giving instructions to Mubarak and confirmed communicating with the terrorists. He also admitted owning a pump-action gun recovered from his home, although the licence had expired in December 2021.

The DSS operative testified that about 98 per cent of the voice note conversations were in Hausa, some of which he translated into English for court proceedings. The prosecution successfully tendered the recorded voice notes on compact discs and flash drives, with Mamu’s lawyer reserving objections until the final address.

Additionally, two victims of the attack had submitted written statements recounting their experiences. These were admitted in evidence alongside eight statements from Mamu and videos of his statement writing sessions. The prosecution plans to apply for a court visit to view items recovered from Mamu’s house and office.

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