Lawyers, Journalists, Others Barred From Ex-Terrorists Negotiator, Tukur Mamu’s Trial

An unexpected turn of events unfolded on Friday in Courtroom 7 of a Federal High Court in Abuja during the trial of Tukur Mamu, a former negotiator for terrorists. Lawyers, litigants, and journalists were instructed to vacate the room.

When proceedings began, E.A Kaswe, a lawyer representing the Attorney-General of the Federation, indicated that the prosecution’s witnesses were present and ready.

He then requested Justice Inyang Ekwo to enforce an order allowing only involved parties to remain in the courtroom, which was granted.

Surprisingly, this contradicted an earlier request by the prosecution to let accredited journalists stay and observe the proceedings. The trial continues behind closed doors.

Justice Ekwo had previously agreed to an application from the Federal Government to protect its witnesses in the case against Mamu, who is accused of having ties to terrorists involved in last year’s attack on a train heading to Kaduna.

The order to protect witnesses’ identities was granted based on an ex-parte motion filed by Kaswe.

The motion requested, among other things, that witnesses be allowed to wear facial masks, use pseudonyms, and that the courtroom be emptied when they testify.

Mamu, previously involved in negotiating with terrorists, was brought before the court on March 21 on charges relating to financing terrorism, particularly in connection to the recent Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

Despite pleading not guilty, Mamu was denied bail on April 27 due to insufficient health-related reasons and failure to refute counter-claims by the Department of State Services, currently holding him in custody.

The Federal Government has accused Mamu of assisting and enabling Boko Haram terrorist attacks against innocent Nigerians.

Charges include collecting substantial sums of money from the families of the train attack victims on behalf of the terrorist group, and concealing these funds at his residence in Kaduna, a violation of the Terrorism Prevention, Prohibition Act.

Mamu denied all these accusations when they were read to him.