Criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide charge over the death of Thomas Godwin Zamfara (Yola, 2025)
- Recorded status
- Under Investigation
- Type / forum
- Criminal · Chief Magistrate Court III, Yola, Adamawa State
- Case number
- Not recorded
- Filed
- 2025-07-04
- Resolved
- Not recorded
Recorded outcome
On 4 July 2025 Chief Magistrate Court III, Yola (Chief Magistrate Uwani Danladi Mohammed) arraigned him and three others on a holding charge (a First Information Report of 4 July 2025, substituted for one of 19 May 2025 on which three co-defendants had been remanded) of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide under sections 60 and 191 of the Adamawa State Penal Code over the 15 April 2025 death of Thomas Godwin Zamfara, a PDP youth leader in Hong LGA; a fifth suspect was said to be at large. The prosecution alleged that he instigated and financed the attack. No plea was taken; the court remanded the defendants pending legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions and adjourned to 7 July 2025. TGNews (4 July) and Sahara Reporters (5 July), both citing unnamed sources, reported that he left custody that evening after the police prosecutors moved to withdraw the charge for further investigation, on a directive from the Inspector-General of Police's office, and that he was flown out of Yola; Sahara Reporters described this as a temporary withdrawal that halts the charges 'for now'. This is not confirmed by a court record or a police statement. No DPP advice, fresh charge, trial, ruling or discharge in his case was found in public sources as of 5 October 2026, and he has continued public activities in Adamawa since (e.g. December 2025). He has not been convicted. Through his lawyer, Gabriel Adikwu, he denies any involvement and maintains his innocence; in a voice note attributed to him (TGNews, 6 July 2025) he said he was 'not a killer' and accused police officers of coercing suspects to implicate him. The police had in May 2025 denied a suspect's allegation of torture in the investigation.
Read the evidence · 7 sources
- Sahara Reporters
2025-07-05: "SaharaReporters gathered that the court, which had earlier remanded Musa and four others over alleged political assassination of a grassroots politician, Thomas Godwin —popularly known as Zamfara — suddenly reversed its position after police prosecutors applied for a temporary withdrawal of charges."
SaharaReporters gathered that the court, which had earlier remanded Musa and four others over alleged political assassination of a grassroots politician, Thomas Godwin —popularly known as Zamfara — suddenly reversed its position after police prosecutors applied for a temporary withdrawal of charges.
- Daily Post
2025-07-04: "Zamfara who was a youth leader of Peoples Democratic Party in his home local government area, Hong, was killed in April 2025 under circumstances that were unclear."
Zamfara who was a youth leader of Peoples Democratic Party in his home local government area, Hong, was killed in April 2025 under circumstances that were unclear.
- Daily Trust
2025-07-04: "A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, on Friday, 4 July, 2025, remanded a renowned philanthropist, Dr. Emmanuel Musa, and 3 others in prison custody over the murder of one Thomas Godwin Zamfara."
A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, on Friday, 4 July, 2025, remanded a renowned philanthropist, Dr. Emmanuel Musa, and 3 others in prison custody over the murder of one Thomas Godwin Zamfara.
- Nigerian Tribune
2025-07-04: "The Chief Magistrate Court III sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, has remanded a frontline philanthropist in the state, Dr Emmanuel Musa, and three others in prison custody for allegedly killing Thomas Godwin Zamfara."
The Chief Magistrate Court III sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, has remanded a frontline philanthropist in the state, Dr Emmanuel Musa, and three others in prison custody for allegedly killing Thomas Godwin Zamfara.
- Leadership
2025-05-20: "The court presided by Chief Magistrate Uwani Danladi ordered the remand of the defendants to enable the police complete investigation since one person is still at large and transmit case file to DPP for vetting and legal advice."
The court presided by Chief Magistrate Uwani Danladi ordered the remand of the defendants to enable the police complete investigation since one person is still at large and transmit case file to DPP for vetting and legal advice.
- TGNews
2025-07-04: "Adikwu emphasized that his client denies any involvement in the alleged homicide of Thomas Zamfara."
Adikwu emphasized that his client denies any involvement in the alleged homicide of Thomas Zamfara.
- TGNews
2025-05-14: "The Command strongly denies the allegations, stating that no suspects’ rights were violated, and all procedures adhered to international best practices."
The Command strongly denies the allegations, stating that no suspects’ rights were violated, and all procedures adhered to international best practices.
Record checked 14 Oct 2026
