January 11, 2026 l Reporter: Johnson
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — A harrowing video has emerged showing two men held captive by Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents in Borno State, as the armed group demands a combined $300,000 (about ₦423 million) ransom for their release, security sources and analysts confirm.
One of the abductees has been identified as Honourable Hassan Biu Miringa, a former Vice Chairman of the Biu Local Government Area, who, alongside a second unnamed victim, was kidnapped on December 17, 2025, while travelling from the Miringa area to Maiduguri along a major northeastern highway.
In footage circulated on social media and security forums, both captives appear under duress but conscious, appealing directly for help from state and local political leaders and community figures. According to the video, Boko Haram militants are insisting on $150,000 per person totaling $300,000 — as a condition for their freedom, asserting that the money must be provided before any release can be negotiated.
“We were abducted on our way from Miringa to Maiduguri around 2:30 p.m.,” one of the victims says in the recording. “Alhamdulillah, we are alive… we are calling on the government and well-meaning individuals to come to our rescue.”
The captives made direct appeals to several senior Borno officials and legislators, including Deputy Governor Umar Usman Kadafur, Hon. Mukhtar Betara Aliyu (National Assembly member for Biu/Bayo/Shani), Hon. Sule Ali Rimi, Hon. Yakubu Gambo Kimba (state assembly member), and Alhaji Musa Dogo Biu, urging them to intervene on their behalf.
The area remains a flashpoint of insurgent activity, with Boko Haram and its ISWAP faction continuing to carry out kidnappings, ambushes and ransom demands despite ongoing military operations by Nigerian and regional forces. Local authorities have not yet issued an official response to the latest ransom demand or commented publicly on the video’s authenticity.
Security analysts warn that the prevalence of high-profile abductions and ransom extortion underscores the enduring strength of insurgent networks in parts of northeastern Nigeria, complicating efforts by government forces to secure key transit routes and protect civilians.