Boko Haram terrorists have demanded a ransom of $500,000 for the release of the wife, police orderly, and driver of Justice Haruna Mshelia, a High Court judge in Borno State. A family source told Daily Trust that the terrorists rejected an initial offer of $50,000, insisting on the full amount before releasing the remaining captives.
Justice Mshelia was abducted on June 24, 2024, along with his wife, Binta Othman, a magistrate at Wulari Court in Maiduguri, his police orderly, and his driver. The terrorists released Justice Mshelia on September 8 after a significant ransom was paid, but only on the condition that he raises an additional $500,000 for the release of his family.
A source revealed, “The family managed to raise almost $50,000, but the insurgents turned it down, demanding the full $500,000.”
When contacted for an update on the situation regarding the abducted police orderly, Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, asked for more time to consult before commenting.
Efforts to reach Justice Haruna Mshelia for an update were unsuccessful, as his phone remained unreachable.
Meanwhile, Professor Abubakar Eljuma, Dean of the Technology Department at the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB), remains in captivity. Sources from the university report that the suspected Boko Haram terrorists who abducted him have yet to make contact with either the university or his family.
In a separate incident, suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a police station in Malari, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, on Wednesday, partially damaging an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC). ASP Nahum Daso confirmed the attack, stating that the terrorists faced superior firepower and fled with gunshot wounds, managing only to deflate the APC’s tyres in an attempt to damage vehicles and infrastructure in the area.