May 20, (THEWILL) – Detained Terrorists negotiator, Tukur Mamu, has lost his bid to leave the Custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) for Kuje prison.
Mamu, facing a 10-count terrorism charge, through his team of lawyers, led by M Abdul Mohammed SAN, filed an application before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, seeking to relocate from the detention facility of the DSS, where he is currently being held, to prison custody.
The defendant, among other things, alleged that an order the court made on October 31, 2023, which directed the security agency to grant him access to his personal physician for medical treatment, was not complied with.
He told the court that since he was detained, the DSS only allowed him access to his doctor once, during which he said a report of comprehensive medical examination to be carried out on him was submitted to the security agency.
Mamu decried that since the said medical report was submitted, he had not been allowed to see his doctor again despite the fact that he needed to urgently undergo a surgical operation in any hospital in the country.
He told the court that his health had since deteriorated, saying he may lose his life any moment if he was not moved out of the custody of the DSS, to Kuje prison.
Ruling on the application on Monday, Justice Inyang Ekwo agreed to the Prosecutor’s claim that there has been rampant jail breaks in the country. The court held that failure of the defendant to controvert that claim in the counter-affidavit the prosecution filed against his request, amounted to an admission of the fact.
The court held that the defendant equally failed to show that his health needs could not be met at the DSS detention facility. It held that no credible evidence capable of swaying the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendant, was adduced.
While the court warned the DSS to comply with its order by granting the defendant access to his personal physician, Justice Ekwo further fixed June 3, 4, 5 and 6 for continuation of the trial.
The Federal Government had on March 21, 2023, arraigned Mamu for allegedly aiding terrorist operations in the country. He was accused of collecting various sums of money in different currencies from families of victims the train attack, on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists sect.
