Tukur Mamu, a former terrorist negotiator, was given access to his physician by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.
The cleric and publisher from Kaduna is on trial in relation to the terror incident that occurred on a Kaduna-Abuja train in March of last year, which resulted in the deaths of at least eight people and the kidnapping of numerous more for ransom.
Mamu was arraigned in March of this year and is being prosecuted on ten counts, some of which do with financing of terrorism.
The families of the hostages of the train attack were alleged to have paid him a ransom of $120,000 on behalf of the terrorist group Boko Haram. Mamu was also charged with exchanging voicemails with a Boko Haram spokesman named Baba Adamu regarding terrorist activities.
In order to safeguard the prosecution’s witnesses, the Department of State Services has requested that the trial be held in secret.
As his health began to deteriorate, Mamu filed a Motion on Notice with the filing number FHC/ABJ/CR/96/2023, requesting permission from the court to see his doctor.
Additionally, he requested that the court order the DSS to take him for medical operations in accordance with the advice of his doctors in Nigeria and Egypt.
In a counter-affidavit, the Federal Government objected to the application through attorney David Kaswe.
He said that the DSS had a medical facility that was up and running and a group of doctors who could take care of his condition.
After that, Kaswe asked the court to deny the application in light of the charges brought against him.
Justice Inyang Ekwo asked Kaswe whether the defendant had a right to see his doctor when making a decision on the case on Tuesday.
In response, he responded, “Yes, My Lord, he is, provided that it takes place under the guidance of our team (of doctors).”
But Mamu’s doctor is to treat him under the DSS medical team’s supervision, per a ruling by Justice Ekwo.
I give the order that the treating physician may administer medical care to him, under the prosecution’s physician’s supervision. This is the court’s order,” the judge declared.
