Borno Youth Leader Samaila Kaigama Remanded in Kuje as DSS Pursues Terrorism and Ransom Case

The Department of State Services has again brought Samaila Kaigama, a Borno youth leader, before the Federal High Court in Abuja. He faces accusations of assisting Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, gathering ransom payments, and giving financial backing to terrorists. After the Tuesday, October 14 re-arraignment, Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered Kaigama held at Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. He is charged in seven counts involving terrorism, not revealing information about terrorist activity, accepting ransom suspected of being meant to fund terrorism, cybercrime, inciting public disorder, and money laundering. Prosecutors claim Kaigama opened unauthorised lines of communication with Boko Haram and ISWAP members and discussed ransom payments in July 2026. They also allege he kept back information about the groups' operations that could have helped security agencies investigate and prosecute suspects. In another count, the Federal Government says he received ransom money from a hostage's family even though he had reasonable grounds to think the funds would support terrorism. He is also accused of asking for and organising financial contributions from hostage families for ISWAP members. The prosecution alleges that Kaigama used WhatsApp, via a group called BOSYA, and Facebook to seek ransom payments from victims' relatives so the money could be passed to terrorists. According to the charge, the transactions caused a ₦1.8 million loss to the hostage's family. Kaigama was further accused of rallying people in affected communities to protest against Senator Ali Ndume and the Borno State Government, which prosecutors called incitement to public disorder. The last count alleges he knowingly kept ₦1.8 million that the hostage's family paid into his account, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The charges were filed under various provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Cybercrimes Act, and the Criminal Code Act. The case was postponed to November 13, 2026, for further proceedings.