Tukur Mamu, publisher of Desert Herald, has asked a federal high court in Abuja to grant him bail.
Mamu was arraigned on Tuesday by the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism.
Though, he pleaded not guilty to all the counts and denied having allegiance to the terrorists.
Immediately after the arraignment, Sani Katu, Mamu’s lawyer, drew the court’s attention to a bail application on behalf of his client.
The application dated March 8 is supported by a 21-paragraph affidavit, and an exhibit with a written address.
Katu said even though he has been served with the prosecution’s counter affidavits opposing the bail application, it was within the court’s discretion whether or not to grant bail.
He explained that his client is suffering from a disease that requires surgery.
The presiding judge Inyang Ekwo however declined to rule on the bail application and slated a date that would be communicated to the parties for a ruling on the bail as requested.
Mamu was asked to remain in DSS custody pending the determination of the bail application by the judge.
The sum of $120,000 were alleged to have been received by Mamu as ransom payments on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The monies were said to have been received from families of hostages kidnapped during the Abuja-Kaduna train attack
He was also accused of exchanging voice note communications relating to the hostages with one.
A sum of $300,000 found in Mamu’s possession after his arrest was tagged as terrorist funds by the federal government.
Mamu, an aide to Ahmad Gumi, a popular Islamic cleric, was involved in negotiations for the release of the passengers abducted during the attack on a Kaduna-bound train in March 2022.
