The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday again declined to grant bail to Tukur Mamu, the alleged terrorists’ negotiator currently held by the Department of State Services (DSS).

In his ruling, Justice Mohammed Umar directed the DSS to ensure Mamu received adequate medical treatment at a hospital of his choice but maintained that his continued detention was lawful.

The judge said, “I have carefully read the application for bail filed by the applicant/defendant and all other accompanied documents.

“One thing to determine is whether Mamu has placed before the court sufficient material facts to warrant the granting of bail.”

Justice Umar held that one of the major grounds for bail was lack of diligence by the prosecution, but in Mamu’s case, the Federal Government had been consistent in pursuing the matter.

“The prosecution has shown diligence in handling this case. That being so, the application for bail cannot be granted,” he stated.

The judge ruled that Mamu’s lawyer should choose a hospital for his medical needs, and DSS must promptly take him there.

This latest ruling marks the third time Mamu’s bail request has been rejected since he was arraigned on March 21, 2023, on a 10-count charge of terrorism financing and related offences.

Mamu, a newspaper publisher, was arrested on September 7, 2022, by Egyptian authorities at the Cairo International Airport before being extradited to Nigeria.

Prosecutors accuse Mamu of exploiting his role as a negotiator during the March 2022 Abuja–Kaduna train attack by collecting ransom payments from families of hostages for personal financial gain.

According to court filings, he was nominated by the terrorists themselves to serve as an intermediary, but allegedly diverted payments and facilitated ransom delivery on their behalf.

The prosecution alleged that the ransom deals were disguised as humanitarian negotiations but were in fact part of a wider terrorism financing network.

Mamu has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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