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Abuja-Kaduna train attack: I paid Tukur Mamu N80m ransom for my mum, sister’s release – Witness
A masked witness, identified as Prosecution Witness-D (PW-D) on Thursday, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he paid N80 million ransom for the release of his mother and sister during the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train terrorists attack .
The witness testified before Justice Inyang Ekwo in the ongoing trial of Mr Tukur Mamu, the kidnap negotiator, who is facing a 10-count terrorism charge.
He said his mother and sister were released alongside two other victims of the attack.
The PW-4 was lead in evidence by the lawyer to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), David Kaswe.
The witness, also identified simply as “D,” said that he was informed at about 8.30 pm on March 28, 2022, that his mother and sister were on the ill-fated train in which passengers were kidnapped, some killed, some injured and some rescued.
He said that the following morning of the attack, he went to Kaduna Hospital where the injured passengers were taken to but he could not find his mother or sister.
He said two weeks after the train attack, he received a call from the kidnappers, who wanted him to speak with a victim, who turned out to be his sister.
He said he communicated regularly with the abductors for about two weeks before they demanded for N200 million ransom each from victims’ relatives.
He said though some paid, the witness said a month after the ransom was demanded, the kidnappers called him through his sister and gave him names of four journalists through whom negotiation could be done.
The PW-D said four journalists’ names and their phone numbers were given to him.
He further stated that he contacted three of the names and they declined.
The witness, however, said among the four journalists, only Tukur Mamu volunteered “to take up the responsibility.”
“Two days later, I received a call from my sister and my sister told me that she was in good shape and that I should not get agitated.”
The witness told the court that his sister informed him that the kidnappers said his mother, sister and some others were not their target.
“She said they were victims of circumstances that they were circumstantial victims that they were not the targets.
“I asked about my late mum and she said they were all doing good,” he said.
He said that while they were struggling to raise the money, one Friday, he received calls from former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, and former Director General, Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi.
He said he was asked to see Irabor in Abuja.
He said he visited Irabor and told him his plights and the little he knew.
He said Irabor instructed him that whatever he discussed with Mamu, he should let him (Irabor) know.
He said Irabor thereafter linked him with a committee set up by the Federal Government to facilitate the release of the kidnapped victims
He said the kidnappers stopped communicating with him after he told them that Mamu had accepted “to take up the responsibility.”
“As soon as they contacted Tukur Mamu, they stopped communicating with us. Every information is from Tukur Mamu.
“We will go to Tukur Mamu and he will tell us they have asked us to pay 100 million each.
“When the negotiation was going on, we had to link Tukur Mamu with the CDS committee.”
He said that on a fateful day, his sister called him that he should go back to Mamu and negotiate.
The witness said he called Mamu but he told him that he had pencilled his name down and would not discussed with him any longer.
“After some people started getting their loved ones out, it got to a stage that kidnappers were no longer talking with CDS committee.
“It should be noted that Tukur Mamu penciled me as government agent. So he never wants to talk to me.”
The witness said he was handicap and approached his (witness) relation who was once Mamu’s boss and the man obliged and intervened.
He said the ransom was then reduced from N200 million to N150 million, to N100 million before they accepted to take N80 million.
He said that in August 2022 when he brought the N80 million ransom in cash to Mamu in his compound in Kaduna, he asked him to convert it to dollar.
The witness said he did and got a total of 118,750 U.S. dollars .
He said two weeks after, Mamu called him for an additional money to make it up a total of 120,000 dollars.
The witness said he took the money to Mamu on Thursday but he was informed by him that the kidnappers had difficulties due to swampy terrain.
He said after Jumai prayer on Friday, the next day, Mamu called to informed that he had established contact with the kidnappers.
“I drove out from Mamu’s compound on a hired gulf car packed with bread and milk as demanded by the kidnappers.”
He said that after about 20 minutes, he received a call asking him to follow a vehicle in front marked 211 and they went towards Binin Gwari.
He said after the town, they stopped and the kidnappers came and brought his mother and sister and the other two victims.
Under cross examination by the defence counsel Abdul Mohammed SAN, the witness said he took the money he brought and a written note from Mamu to the kidnappers.
The witness said he did not know whether the CDS communicated with Mamu because he was not a member of the committee.
He clarified that a former commissioner negotiated with Mamu.
He agreed with the defence counsel that the kidnappers said they needed four journalists that they would pay to do a job for them.
On whether it was the kidnappers that were dictating what should be done, the judge said the court would determine that from the record.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had, on March 21, 2023, arraigned Mamu for allegedly aiding terrorist operations in the country.
The Kaduna-based Islamic scholar was further accused of collecting various sums of money in different currencies from families of victims of the train attack, on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists sect.
FG told the court that investigations revealed that the defendant collected an aggregate sum of $420, 000 from families of the victims, as well as N21 million from another set of families of the train attack.
It further alleged that Mamu concealed funds he earned from services he rendered to the terrorist organisation, in his residence in Kaduna State.
It told the court that the defendant had sometime in 2022, in Kaduna State, received ransom payments in the sum of N500, 000 on behalf of the Boko haram terrorist group, from families of the train attack that were held as hostages.
More so, in the charge that was signed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr M.B. Abubakar, FG added that the defendant exchanged voice note communications with one Baba Adamu, identified as spokesperson of the Boko Haram, in relation to acts of terrorism.
It maintained that the defendant acted in breach of the Terrorism Prevention, Prohibition Act, 2022.
Mamu, however, denied all the allegations.(NAN)
By Our Reporter.
The President , Host Communities of Nigeria producing Oil and Gas HOSTCOM, His Highness, (Dr )Benjamin Style Tamaranebi JP has praised Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his Renewed Hope Agenda by increasing the production output of crude oil on assumption of duty, that reduced oil theft .
In an open letter to Nigeria’s President,Niger Delta Youths tagged “Call for Restraint; Killing of personnel of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL, Bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta – Protecting our future ” issued on Thursday by the leadership of the host communities stated that the engagement of Tantita and other security agencies has yielded tremendous positive results.
With this , we commend President Tinubu for engaging the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL among many others, while condemning the killing of its harmless and armless personnel.
While using the opportunity to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the confidence reposed in the maritime security outfit as a critical security stakeholders in the maintenance of oil installations and assets in the Niger Delta.
Though , we are not aware of some dissidents and disgruntled elements to unhappiness with the success story President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought to oil and local communities in the Niger Delta.
With the recent bombings of oil installations in the oil producing areas of Niger Delta, killings of Tantita Security personnel are reckless act that threaten the peace and stability of the country , but the future of our communities.
He described the bombings and attacks as an act of destruction, far from act of heroism that does not good to the progress and development already achieved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the region.
He further described the attackers as tools in the hands of politicians ,their gladiators and criminals and not freedom fighters who meant well for the Niger Delta people.
He said this unpatriotic actions does not meant well for the good people of Niger Delta having suffered from different incidents of economic, political and social degradation, relieved by the enactment of Petroleum Industry Act PIA by the present administration.
Chief Dr Benjamin Style Tamaranebi reminded the host communities on the provisions of the act and it’s consequences on the oil communities, stating that a community that engages in crises forfeits benefits which is unambiguous in section 257 subsection 2 of the PIA act.
The release further states..
OPEN LETTER TO:
” ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR PRESIDENT & COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.”
” YOUTHS OF THE NIGER DELTA .”
A CALL FOR RESTRAINT: KILLING OF PERSONNEL OF TANTITA SECURITY SERVICES NIGERIA LIMITED (TSSNL) AND BOMBING OF OIL FACILITIES IN THE NIGER DELTA – PROTECTING OUR FUTURE
“That farsightedness and courageous actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, especially in the oil and gas sector in the last nearly two years, have transformed the landscape and allowed Nigeria to improve its oil production quota significantly and reduce rampant oil theft, is no longer news.”
“It’s also obvious that engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) and other non- state actors in the task of policing and securing the nation’s economic assets has yielded tremendous positive outcomes.”
“It’s in this regard that we commend Mr. President for the confidence he has reposed in Tantita as a critical part of the security architecture for maintaining oil assets in the Niger Delta.”
“However, we are not unaware that some disgruntled people are unhappy with our successes and the relief that Mr President’s courageous steps have brought to the country, and especially to local communities in the Niger Delta.”
“The recent bombings of oil pipelines and cold-blooded murder of TSSNL personnel in the Niger Delta are reckless acts that threaten not only the stability of our region but also the future of our communities.”
” They are not acts of heroism but acts of self-destruction. ”
“Those who engage in these crimes are not freedom fighters, they are tools in the hands of selfish politicians and criminal syndicates, who care nothing for the Niger Delta or its people.”
“These actions, carried out under the guise of political grievances, are shortsighted. They do not serve the interests of the Niger Delta people—they only deepen our suffering.”
“Let us be clear: Destroying our oil assets is economic suicide. It’s a direct attack on the very lifeline of our communities.”
“Our host communities have endured environmental degradation, economic hardship, and neglect for decades. ”
“The passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was a turning point, ensuring that our communities finally receive direct benefits from the resources extracted from our land. ”
“The PIA was a hard-earned victory that finally guaranteed the host communities a share of the wealth generated from our land.”
“Billions of naira have already flowed into community trusts, empowering local development initiatives. However, Section 257, Subsection 2 of the PIA is clear: ”
“Any community that engages in sabotage forfeits these benefits. That means the very people committing these attacks are robbing their own families and their futures.”
“Attacking oil infrastructure weakens Nigeria’s economy and directly robs our communities of the progress we have fought to achieve.”
“Let us also be clear about who benefits from this destruction. Not the youths. Not the struggling leaders of the host communities. Not the hard-working people of the Niger Delta. The only winners are the oil thieves, the corrupt politicians and the foreign oil barons, who are eager to see our region remain unstable and underdeveloped.”
“The situation in Rivers State is political, and political issues require political solutions. Destroying pipelines and killing security personnel will not resolve these conflicts—it will only make our region more volatile and unlivable. Oil spills poison our rivers, destroy aquatic life, and render our land barren and our youths are left with nothing.”
“The youth engaging in these attacks must ask themselves: Who truly benefits from this destruction? Certainly not the host communities.”
“This madness must stop. Tantita Security Services and other security outfits are crucial in safeguarding Nigeria’s oil assets. Their presence has helped to curb oil theft, improve production levels, and stabilise our national economy.”
“TSSNL and other security personnel are not our enemies but our brothers and sisters working to protect our collective future. It is indefensible to do anything to bring them to harm. They have put their lives on the line to protect our oil wealth from criminal gangs. Killing them is not act of resistance, it’s cowardly and an unforgivable betrayal of our people and our future. ”
“The crisis in River State is political. Politicians will eventually settle their differences- but will they bring back the lives lost? Will they restore our environment? Will they restore the benefits stolen from our communities? No, they will move on, leaving our youths stranded to suffer the consequences.”
“We must not be fools. We must not allow ourselves to be used. Every youth in the Niger Delta must reject this cycle of violence and destruction. Protecting our oil facilities is not about helping the government- it’s about securing our future. ”
“We aligned with the the position canvassed by a human right activist, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, after the unjustifiable killing of some personnel of Tantita, when he said, “The engagement of TANTITA is critical in combating the scourge of oil smuggling and bunkering. As a local company, they possess intimate knowledge of the terrain in the Niger Delta and are acutely aware of the hiding places and tactics employed by these criminals.”
“We in HOSTCOM believed that this unique understanding of the Niger Delta terrain by Tantita and its personnel is vital for effective onslaught against oil theft, and it’s imperative that our security agencies and other critical stakeholders in our region recognise the selfless contributions of Tantita and its main promoter, our own indefatigable Niger Delta crusader for better life for our people and champion of equitable and fair distribution of the nation’s resources, High Chief, Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation and support them.”
“We in HOSTCOM also know and believed it to be true that President Tinubu’s administration has taken drastic steps to enforce the PIA, which has ultimately increased oil production and revenue for our region. Reckless acts of violence must not destroy the progress.”
“It would be recalled that for decades, governors in the region have collected 13 percent of derivation from the federal government and yet have done nothing to develop local communities, despite receiving this fund that runs in billions of naira.”
“We thank President Tinubu GCFR; the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engineer Mele Kyari and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe FNSE CFR, for ensuring effective compliance with PIA, a development which has led to major spike in our daily production of crude oil from abysmal 600,000bpd to about 1.8mbpd with the good work of TSSNL and other state and non-state actors.”
“We urge traditional rulers, community leaders, and responsible citizens to reject violence and report any individuals attempting to incite destruction in our communities.”
” The Niger Delta must not be used as a battleground for political struggles that do not serve the interests of its people.”
“The government must swiftly crush these criminals and their sponsors, if our persuasive appeals are ignored, before they do irreversible damage. ”
“Enough is enough. The Niger Delta has suffered for too long. We cannot build a future on sabotage and destruction. Let us rise above the schemes of greedy politicians and criminals. Let’s protect what is ours. Let us choose peace, progress and prospects.”
“We should choose stability over strife, collaboration over conflict and dialogue over discord.”
“We also call on the Federal Government to also address other root causes of youth restiveness in the region in order to strengthen the prevailing peace in the oil-rich belt.”
“We seize this opportunity to congratulate and wish Mr. President well on his 73rd birthday, on Saturday, March 29th, 2025.”
“We pray that God sustains you in robust health to enable you to carry out your policies and programmes as enshrined in the RENEWED HOPE AGENDA.”
GOD BLESS THE NIGER DELTA REGION
GOD BLESS THE SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
GOD BLESS ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR
GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
SIGNED:
HIS HIGHNESS (DR.) BENJAMIN STYLE TAMARANEBI (JP)
PRESIDENT, HOST COMMUNITIES OF NIGERIA PRODUCING OIL AND GAS (HOSTCOM)
In a decisive move to tackle unauthorised migration, Nigeria’s federal government has announced a nationwide crackdown on irregular migrants, effective from August 1.
The initiative is aimed at addressing concerns surrounding illegal immigration by urging those without valid documentation or overstaying their visas to legalise their status before the deadline. Authorities have made it clear that individuals who fail to comply will face arrest and deportation.
However, the government has reassured the public that enforcement measures will be conducted in a humane manner, with full respect for migrants’ rights.
A Northern youth group, Arewa Youth Council for Justice, has urged suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to end the conversations that led to her suspension from the Senate by issuing an apology to the National Assembly.
The group took the stand in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, signed by its National President, Isak Mammud and the National Secretary, Timothy Isaiah.
This came in reaction to the verbal war between Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi representing Ebonyi Central and former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili.
The youth group said the matter was assuming a disturbing dimension and should be brought to a close.
While accusing Senator Natasha of escalating a matter that should have been amicably resolved in the Senate within hours, the youths said if something was not done urgently, the matter could get to a more dangerous stage.
“What happened during the Senate Public Hearing could not have happened in the first place had Senator Natasha issued an apology to the Senate President and by extension the Senate a long time ago.
“It is sad that mere change of seating position has been dragged to such an extent that the reputation of Nigeria’s image abroad is being dented over a trivial matter, which was now blown out of proportion to the extent of alleging sexual harassment.
“We are troubled by the latest developments, including the shouting match during the public hearing, as well as the recall process against Senator Natasha.
“Indeed, the time had come for the Senator to heed the voice of reason by apologizing to the Senate President, whose image was unnecessarily attacked,” the group stated.
While commending Senator Akpabio for maintaining his cool all the while, the Arewa group noted that hiding under unfounded allegations to justify the flouting of Senate rules was totally condemnable.
“However, we appeal that should the Senator tender an unreserved apology, the Senate President, in his usual humility and peaceful disposition, should forgive her and allow her to be restored to the Senate.”