The absence of counsel for the federal government on Wednesday stalled the trial commencement of Tukur Mamu, who is being tried over his alleged relationship with terrorists involved in last year’s attack on a Kaduna-bound train.

The matter, which was number three on the cause list, was fixed for trial before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

When the matter was called, only Mr Mamu’s counsel, Obiabo Francis-Amedo, was in court.

The lawyer told the court that he was notified through a letter from the prosecution that the prosecuting counsel in the matter had gone on training and that they suggested a date before vacation.

Justice Ekwo said the adjournment was at the instance of the prosecution and fixed July 19 for trial.

Mr Mamu, a former bandits’ negotiator, was, on March 21, arraigned by the office of the attorney-general of the federation on 10 counts bordering on terrorism financing, especially on the recent Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court, on April 27, also declined to grant him bail on grounds of ill health.

The judge, who held that the grounds were not cogent enough to grant bail to the defendant facing terrorism-related charges, also cited Mr Mamu’s failure to debunk the claims contained in the counter-affidavit filed to oppose his bail application by the State Security Service (SSS), the agency keeping him in custody.

Mr Mamu was arrested on September 6, 2022, on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj and was detained at Cairo International Airport before being repatriated to Nigeria.

In the charges, the federal government accused him of aiding and abetting Boko Haram terrorism attacks against innocent Nigerians.

He was accused of collecting various sums of money in various currencies on behalf of Boko Haram terrorists from the families of the train attack.

Mr Mamu was said to have collected $420,000 from families of the attack and another N21 million from other families of the train attack.

He is also accused of concealing the terrorism funds in his Kaduna residence in violation of provisions of the Terrorism Prevention, Prohibition Act.

(NAN)