DSS rearraigns Borno youth leader Samaila Kaigama over alleged terrorism and ransom collection

The Department of State Services (DSS) has rearraigned Samaila Kaigama before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of aiding Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), collecting ransom and providing financial support to terrorists. 

Following his rearraignment on Tuesday, October 14, Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered that Kaigama be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

The defendant is facing seven counts bordering on alleged terrorism, failure to disclose information about terrorist activities, receipt of ransom suspected to be intended to finance terrorism, cybercrime, incitement to public disorder and money laundering. According to the charges, Kaigama allegedly established unauthorised communication with members of Boko Haram and ISWAP and negotiated ransom payments in July 2026.

The prosecution also accused him of withholding information about the activities of the terrorist groups that could have assisted security agencies in investigating and prosecuting suspects. In another count, the Federal Government alleged that Kaigama received ransom money from the family of a hostage despite having reasonable grounds to believe that the funds would be used to finance terrorism.

He was also accused of soliciting and mobilising financial contributions from families of hostages in support of ISWAP members. The prosecution further alleged that Kaigama used WhatsApp, through a group identified as BOSYA, and Facebook to solicit ransom payments from victims’ families for onward transmission to terrorists.

According to the charge, the alleged transactions resulted in a loss of ₦1.8 million to the hostage’s family. Kaigama was also accused of mobilising members of affected communities to protest against Senator Ali Ndume and the Borno State Government, an act the prosecution described as incitement to public disorder.

The final count alleges that he knowingly retained ₦1.8 million paid into his account by the hostage’s family, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The charges were brought under various provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Cybercrimes Act and the Criminal Code Act. The case was adjourned until November 13, 2026, for further proceedings.