Abductors of Former Biu LG Vice Chairman, Other Demand $300,000 Ransom

Fresh details have emerged on the abduction of a former local government official in Borno State following the circulation of a video showing two captives appealing for help after weeks in captivity.

The former vice chairman of Biu Local Government Area, Hon. Hassan Biu Miringa, and another man were reportedly kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents while travelling from Miringa to Maiduguri on December 17, 2025.

A security analyst and counter-insurgency expert on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, confirmed the authenticity of the viral footage, which shows the abductees alive and calling for urgent intervention.

In the video, the victims disclosed that their captors are demanding a ransom of $150,000 each, bringing the total to $300,000, estimated at about N423 million.

“We were abducted on our way from Miringa to Maiduguri at around 2:30. Alhamdulillah, we are alive,” one of the victims said.
“We are calling on the government and individuals to come to our rescue,” the two victims said in the video.

The abductees specifically appealed to prominent political figures and community leaders from the area, including Deputy Governor Umar Usman Kadafur, Hon. Mukhtar Betara Aliyu, Hon. Sule Ali Rimi, Hon. Yakubu Gambo Kimba, and Alhaji Musa Dogo Biu, urging them to intervene to facilitate their release.

“We are pleading with them to come to our rescue. We are their sons,” the victim stated.
“They told us we must provide $150,000 each. For the two of us, that amounts to $300,000. We want to be reunited with our families.” they said

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from the Borno State Government or security agencies on efforts being made to secure the release of the abducted men.

The incident adds to growing concerns over continued insecurity and kidnappings along key routes in the state.