Justice Ibrahim Salim of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that an alleged ransom negotiator for the Islamic State for West Africa Province ISWAP, terrorists, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama put on trial by the Department of the State Service DSS on terrorism charges be kept at Kuje prison pending his trial on November 13.
The Judge issued the remand order on Tuesday when the accused person was arraigned before him on 7- count amended charges.
The Director of the Public Prosecution of the Federation DPPF Oyedepo Rotimi SAN led the prosecution team in which the accused person pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Upon his not guilty plea, the DSS lawyer applied that the Court remand the defendant at Kuje prison as well as expeditious trial of the charges.
However, lawyer to the accused person, Chris Abengowe made unsuccessful spirited efforts to argue bail application for the accused person.
Among others, the bail application could not be entertained because it was predicated on the struck out charges while the DPPF Oyedepo indicated interest to file counter affidavit against the bail request.
In a short ruling, Justice Salim fixed November 13 for commencement of trial and the remand of the accused person in Kuje prison pending the hearing of his bail application,
The charges against the accused person are;
COUNT ONE ‘That you, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, adult male of FCT Abuja, on or about July, 2026, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable Court, aided the activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group, when you establish unauthorized communication and negotiations of Ransome with the members, contrary to Section 26(2)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(1)(a) of the same Act.
COUNT TWO “That you, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, adult male of FCT Abuja, on or about July, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: you had information about activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group, an information which you know would have been of material assistance in apprehension, prosecution, conviction and failed to disclose such information to the law enforcement or security officer as soon as reasonably practicable and You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 16 (1)
(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention And Prohibition) Act, 2022.
COUNT THREE ‘That you, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, adult male of FCT Abuja, on or about July, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, received ransom money from hostage family, which sum you had reasonable grounds to believe will be used to finance terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable section 21(1)(2)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act,
2022.
COUNT FOUR ‘That you, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, adult male of FCT Abuja, on or about July, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: knowingly rendering support to members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) when you solicited and mobilized financial contributions from family of hostage, you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 13(1)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention And Prohibition) Act 2022.
COUNT FIVE “That you, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, adult male of FCT Abuja, on or about July 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence with intent to defraud by sending messages through the WhatsApp platform (via BOSYA group) and Facebook to the family of the victims, requesting them to pay ransom to you for onward transmission to the terrorists and the receipt of your massage and reliance on same the family of the victim suffered damages or loss to the tun of over one million eight hundred thousand naira (N1,800,000.00), contrary to and punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
COUNT SIX “That you, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, adult male of FCT Abuja, on or about July 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did mobilize members of the affected communities to stage protests against Senator Ali Ndume and the Borno State Government, you thereby inciting public disorder, contrary to and punishable under Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38 LFN 2004.
COUNT SEVEN “That you, Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, adult male of FCT Abuja, on or about July 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly retaining the sum of One Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,800,000.00), being ransom money paid into your GTB Account No. 0114051221 by the family of the victims, you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
