Tukur Mamu, the publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, has written to the federal government to request that the designation of him as a funder of terrorism be withdrawn.

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), a federal establishment, had listed Mamu alongside 15 other persons and entities as terrorism financiers in the country.

Mamu’s response to the development came in a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) by J.J. Usman, his lawyer, dated March 25, describing the decision as prejudicial.

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Emphasising the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, he said he would be forced to apply to a court if the government did not invalidate its claim.

Part of the letter reads, “It is lamentable to observe that on 19/03/2024: while the case against our client is still pending, the social media was saturated by a publication allegedly emanating from and authorized by your good office.

“However, the said publication was specifically made by the “Nigerian Sanctions Committee” wherein our client was profiled and designated as a “Terrorist (TERRORIST FINANCIER).

“As at the time of this missive, no court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria have designated our client as such. It is a common knowledge that the administration of criminal justice system in Nigeria, is not only antithetic to, but forbids media trial in whatever guise.

“We vehemently condemn the actions of the Nigerian Sanctions Committee same being a violation the rule of natural justice and prejudicial to our client who is undergoing trial, and whose trial is still pending in SUIT FHCIABJ/CR/96/2023.”

“We have no doubt about the deliberate ploy to soil the name and the hard earned reputation of our client in whose favour the constitutional right to the presumption of innocence inures.

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“On the basis of the aforesaid, we demand in very clear and unequivocal terms: the immediate retraction of the said Publication within 7 days from the receipt of this letter dated this 25th March, 2024.

“Failure to comply with our client’s demand, we will have no hesitation in seeking redress in the court of law for the ventilation of our client’s grievances.”

The government is still prosecuting Mamu before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over an allegation that he helped the terrorists who attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022 collect ransom payments.