I paid N80m ransom for my mum, sister’s release after Kaduna train attack – Witness - Newstrends
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I paid N80m ransom for my mum, sister’s release after Kaduna train attack – Witness

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2 years ago

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Abuja-Kaduna train attack

I paid N80m ransom for my mum, sister’s release after Kaduna train attack – Witness

A masked individual, known as Prosecution Witness-D (PW-D), testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, revealing that he paid N80 million for the release of his mother and sister following the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

The witness provided this testimony during the ongoing trial of Tukur Mamu, a kidnap negotiator facing charges related to terrorism.

The witness explained that both his mother and sister were released alongside two other victims of the attack. PW-D was led in evidence by David Kaswe, the Attorney-General’s Federation (AGF) legal representative.

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.

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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

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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.”

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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.

I paid N80m ransom for my mum, sister’s release after Kaduna train attack – Witness

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Unexplained Wealth: Obasanjo, Osinbajo, Others for Shittu’s Book Launch

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September 26, 2026

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Unexplained Wealth: Obasanjo, Osinbajo, Others for Shittu’s Book Launch

Unexplained Wealth: Obasanjo, Osinbajo, Others for Shittu’s Book Launch

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo will chair the public presentation of a three-volume legal work by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Wahab Kunle Shittu, focusing on unexplained wealth, asset recovery and anti-corruption enforcement in Nigeria.

The trilogy, titled “Unexplained Wealth in Nigeria,” is scheduled for public presentation on Monday, September 28, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The 54-chapter work examines the legal, institutional and societal dimensions of unexplained wealth while proposing reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and asset recovery and protecting the rights of individuals whose legitimately acquired wealth comes under official scrutiny.

Obasanjo accepted the invitation to chair the event and described the project as relevant to issues of transparency, rule of law and institutional reform.

The first volume, titled “Law, Prosecution and the Recovery of Illicit Assets,” examines the constitutional and international foundations of unexplained wealth enforcement. It also addresses prosecution, asset recovery and the evidential challenges involved in establishing whether wealth was acquired unlawfully.

The second volume, “Sectoral Manifestations, Governance and Reform,” examines the issue across several areas of Nigeria’s economy and public sector, including foreign exchange, capital markets, taxation, healthcare, elections, terrorist financing, public institutions, the power sector and the petroleum industry.

It also considers broader economic and governance issues associated with unexplained wealth, including capital flight, public debt, currency reforms and fuel subsidy removal, as well as the relationship between wealth accumulation, election integrity and public accountability.

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The third volume, “Explained Wealth in the Age of Suspicion: Legal Accountability in Theory and Practice,” shifts attention to people whose assets come under official investigation.

The volume examines how individuals can establish that their wealth was legitimately acquired while balancing anti-corruption enforcement, constitutional rights, economic freedom and due process.

One of the major proposals in the trilogy is a Three-Tier Test for Explained Wealth, based on the lawful source of wealth, documentary coherence and proportionality.

The work also proposes an Anti-Weaponisation Framework, which is intended to address concerns about the possible misuse of anti-corruption mechanisms against individuals.

According to details of the publication, the author argues for a balance between effective enforcement against illicit wealth and protection for citizens whose assets were lawfully acquired.

The trilogy contains proposed legislative interventions, including a draft Nigeria Antigraft Commission (Establishment) Bill, a draft law on Unexplained Wealth Orders and an executive summary proposing a Presidential Committee on Lifestyle Audit.

Shittu’s work on the subject was partly informed by his professional engagements with Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions.

He delivered a paper on the prosecution of unexplained wealth at an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)/National Judicial Institute capacity-building workshop for judges in 2023.

He subsequently presented another paper on asset seizure and forfeiture under Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws at an Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) workshop for judges.

Shittu said the trilogy developed from those professional engagements, combined with further research and his experience in financial crime litigation. (NPO Reports)

The September 28 event is expected to bring together personalities from Nigeria’s legal, political, academic and traditional institutions.

Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is scheduled to deliver the reflective remarks, while Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University and SAN, is billed as the book reviewer.

The Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, is listed as the Royal Father of the Day, while Channels Television presenters Seun Okinbaloye and Shola Soleye are expected to anchor the event.

The presentation comes at a time of renewed public discussion about corruption, illicit wealth, asset recovery and accountability in Nigeria.

Recent investigations have also continued to draw attention to the movement of wealth allegedly linked to politically exposed persons into foreign assets. A September 2026 investigation by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa and the Anti-Corruption Data Collective, for instance, identified 284 United States properties valued at nearly $271 million as linked to 61 current and former Nigerian politically exposed persons, their relatives, associates and affiliated entities. The report said its findings were not a verdict of wrongdoing against the individuals identified.

Against this background, Shittu’s trilogy is positioned as a legal and policy contribution to the debate over how Nigeria can strengthen financial crime enforcement and asset recovery while preserving due process and property rights.

The September 28 presentation is therefore expected to provide a forum for legal practitioners, policymakers, judges, academics and anti-corruption stakeholders to examine the proposals contained in the three-volume work.

Unexplained Wealth: Obasanjo, Osinbajo, Others for Shittu’s Book Launch

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Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy

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6 hours ago

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September 26, 2026

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Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy
Charly Boy

Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy

Veteran Nigerian entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has said his adult daughters do not need his approval to identify as lesbians, explaining that his role as a father is to support them while allowing them to make decisions about their own lives.

Charly Boy made the remarks while discussing the sexual orientation of his daughters and the recent engagement of his daughter, Adaeze Oputa, to a woman.

The entertainer said his two daughters identify as lesbians and explained that he had initially found it difficult to process the development before eventually accepting their choices.

According to him, becoming a parent does not give him control over every decision made by his adult children.

Charly Boy said his priority was for his daughters to be happy and able to live their lives without their relationship with him being damaged by disagreements over their personal choices.

His comments came shortly after he publicly celebrated Adaeze’s engagement to her female partner.

Charly Boy shared a video from the engagement on Instagram and described the couple as his “beautiful Princess and her Husband”, while asking his followers to wish them well. Adaeze also announced the engagement on Instagram, writing that they were engaged and expressing excitement about their future together.

The public celebration attracted mixed reactions on social media, with some users congratulating the couple and others criticising the relationship and Charly Boy’s response.

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Charly Boy has previously spoken publicly about his younger daughter, Dominique “Dewy” Oputa, and her relationship with a woman. In earlier interviews, he discussed the difficulty he initially experienced after learning about her sexuality before explaining how he came to accept her.

His latest remarks suggest that his approach has evolved from trying to understand his daughters’ choices to accepting that they are adults capable of making decisions for themselves.

The entertainer also acknowledged that parents can have personal expectations for their children. However, he maintained that such expectations do not necessarily give parents the right to dictate the lives of their adult children.

The development has attracted particular attention because same-sex relationships remain a highly sensitive issue in Nigeria, both socially and legally.

Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013 prohibits same-sex marriage and civil unions and provides penalties for conduct covered by the legislation. Same-sex marriages or civil unions are also not legally recognised as marriages under Nigerian law.

The distinction is important in reporting Adaeze’s announcement: available reports confirm an engagement, not a legally recognised same-sex marriage in Nigeria.

Adaeze’s engagement has also renewed interest in her personal history. She was previously married to a man in 2018, according to reports, but that relationship later ended in divorce. Current reports focus on her engagement to her female partner.

Charly Boy’s public response has consequently placed his family at the centre of a wider conversation about parental acceptance, sexuality, family relationships and personal autonomy.

For the veteran entertainer, however, the issue is primarily a family matter. His comments indicate that while he may have had personal expectations for his children, he does not believe those expectations should determine the choices made by his adult daughters.

The latest development also reflects Charly Boy’s longstanding willingness to discuss controversial personal and social issues publicly, often generating strong reactions from Nigerians with differing cultural, religious and personal perspectives.

For Adaeze, the engagement represents a personal milestone that she chose to announce publicly. For Charly Boy, his response has reinforced his stated position that his relationship with his daughters should not depend on whether he agrees with every decision they make.

 

Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy

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Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

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6 hours ago

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September 26, 2026

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Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims and arrested three suspected terrorist logistics couriers during separate operations in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The operations, conducted on September 24 and 25, also led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, 30 rounds of ammunition, a motorcycle, three mobile phones and N2.7 million suspected to be ransom money.

The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-West, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, disclosed the operations in a statement.

Danja said troops of Sector 2 intercepted the three suspected logistics couriers on September 24 while they were travelling on a motorcycle within Faskari.

According to the military, preliminary interrogation indicated that the suspects were allegedly transporting N2.7 million suspected to be ransom money, alongside three mobile phones, for onward delivery to a suspected terrorist kingpin through intermediaries.

The suspects and the recovered items were taken into custody for further investigation.

In a separate operation on September 25, troops acted on intelligence about the movement of suspected terrorists in Faskari and established an ambush.

The troops engaged the suspected terrorists, who reportedly fled into the surrounding area. A subsequent search resulted in the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, 30 rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle.

Later the same day, troops conducting a routine patrol rescued 14 kidnapped victims in the local government area.

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The rescued persons comprised 12 males and two females and were reportedly among civilians abducted from Anguwan Miko and Tafoki communities in Faskari.

The military said the victims were abandoned by their captors after the terrorists sighted the advancing troops.

The rescued victims were subsequently handed over to the Faskari Local Government authorities for further necessary action.

The Katsina operations formed part of a wider Operation FANSAN YAMMA offensive conducted across Katsina and Kaduna states between September 23 and 25.

In Kaduna State, troops of Sector 1 acted on intelligence about suspected terrorists moving through bushes around Rijana in Kachia Local Government Area on September 23.

The troops reportedly laid an ambush and engaged the suspected terrorists, forcing them to flee. A subsequent search led to the recovery of another AK-47 rifle, a magazine containing 13 rounds of ammunition, a magazine carrier and a military jungle hat.

In another operation at Awom village in Kachia, troops arrested a suspect identified by the military as Jacob. He was allegedly found with a locally fabricated pistol and seven rounds of ammunition.

The Kaduna arrest brought the total number of suspects arrested during the wider three-day operation to four, including the three suspected logistics couriers apprehended in Katsina.

The latest operation is part of continuing military efforts to disrupt kidnapping and terrorist networks in the North-West.

Earlier in September, troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA rescued 31 kidnapped victims during separate operations in Katsina and Kebbi states. The operations also resulted in the reported neutralisation of two suspected terrorists and the arrest of two others.

In one of those operations, 10 victims, including an infant, were rescued in Katsina after troops responded to reports of abductions from Unguwan Daudu and Unguwan Chibauna communities in Funtua Local Government Area. Another 21 victims were rescued in Kebbi State.

The Joint Task Force has continued to urge residents to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with credible information about suspicious movements and activities.

The latest Faskari operations underline the continued focus of Operation FANSAN YAMMA on rescuing people held in captivity, disrupting terrorist logistics and restricting the movement of armed groups operating across the North-West.

Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

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