Federal High Court Abuja has ordered the remand of Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, an alleged ransom negotiator for terrorists of the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, at the Kuje Custodial Centre pending his trial on November 13, 2026.
The judge issued the order on Tuesday after the Department of State Services, DSS arraigned Kaigama on a seven-count amended charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing, ransom collection, cybercrime, money laundering and incitement to public disorder.
Following the defendant’s plea, the prosecution urged the court to remand him in Kuje prison and order an expedited hearing of the case.
However, counsel to the defendant, Chris Abengowe, made efforts to move a bail application on his client’s behalf.
The application could not be entertained because it was predicated on an earlier charge that had been struck out.
The prosecution also indicated its intention to file a counter-affidavit in response to the bail request.
In the amended charge, the Federal Government alleged that Kaigama, sometime in July 2026, established unauthorised communication and negotiated ransom with members of Boko Haram and ISWAP, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He was also accused of possessing information about the activities of the terrorist groups that could assist law enforcement agencies in their apprehension and prosecution but allegedly failing to disclose such information to the relevant authorities.
In another count, the government alleged that Kaigama received ransom money from the families of hostages, with reasonable grounds to believe that the funds would be used to finance terrorism.
The prosecution further accused him of knowingly providing support to ISWAP members by soliciting and mobilising financial contributions from the families of hostages.
According to the charge, the defendant allegedly used WhatsApp, through a group identified as BOSYA, and Facebook to send messages to the victims’ families, requesting ransom payments for onward transmission to the terrorists.
The government claimed that the alleged transaction resulted in a loss of ₦1.8 million to the affected family.
Kaigama was also accused of mobilising members of affected communities to stage protests against Senator Ali Ndume and the Borno State Government, an action the prosecution described as incitement to public disorder.
In the seventh count, the Federal Government alleged that the defendant knowingly retained ₦1.8 million, said to have been paid into his Guaranty Trust Bank account by a victim’s family as ransom money.
The allegations are brought under various provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, the Criminal Code Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The court adjourned the case until November 13, 2026, for further proceedings.
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(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
