The family of Adekunle Hafis Ganiyu, a Lagos-based driver employed by GIG Logistics, has made a heartfelt appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, to urgently intervene and facilitate his release following his abduction by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
Ganiyu, who works with GIG Logistics at its Charity, Oshodi branch in Lagos State, was reportedly kidnapped on January 24, 2026, while on official duty along the Gombi–Baromari Road, a route located within a region that has experienced recurring security challenges linked to insurgent activities.
According to a family member who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the incident has plunged the household into anguish and uncertainty, with Ganiyu’s aged mother said to be particularly devastated by the news. The family described the emotional toll as overwhelming, noting that the elderly woman has been inconsolable since learning that her son was taken by armed men suspected to be members of Boko Haram.
“Adekunle Hafis Ganiyu is a driver working with GIG Logistics based in Charity, Oshodi, Lagos State,” the family member said. “He was abducted by people suspected to be Boko Haram on January 24, 2026, at Gombi–Baromari Road in Borno State. The transport company has since evacuated the vehicle he was travelling with after the incident, but up till now, we do not know where he is.”
The family expressed concern that while the vehicle involved in the incident has been recovered by the company, there has been no concrete information about Ganiyu’s whereabouts or condition. They said the uncertainty surrounding his fate has deepened their distress, as they continue to hope and pray for his safe return.
Ganiyu, described by relatives as a hardworking and responsible young man, had travelled to the North-East region strictly for work-related purposes. The family emphasised that he was pursuing his livelihood through legitimate means when he encountered the suspected insurgents.
“He is a young man in search of daily living,” the relative stated. “He was not involved in anything unlawful. He was simply doing his job when he was abducted. His aged mother is pleading with the President and the Governor of Borno State to assist in securing his release.”
The Gombi–Baromari Road, where the incident reportedly occurred, lies within an area that has previously witnessed insurgent activities, despite ongoing military and security operations aimed at restoring peace and stability to the North-East. Although significant progress has been recorded in counter-insurgency campaigns in recent years, sporadic attacks and abductions continue to pose risks to civilians and travellers in certain corridors.
Family members say they have been left in the dark regarding the circumstances of the abduction, including whether any communication has been established with the abductors. They also did not indicate whether a ransom demand has been made. Their primary concern, they stressed, is the safe return of their son.
The appeal to President Tinubu and Governor Zulum comes amid continued federal and state efforts to combat insurgency and secure vulnerable communities in Borno and neighbouring states. Governor Zulum has repeatedly pledged to prioritise the protection of civilians and support for victims of insurgent violence, while the Federal Government has maintained that it remains committed to ending terrorism across the country.
Ganiyu’s family is urging authorities to intensify intelligence gathering and security operations in the affected area to facilitate his rescue. They expressed hope that coordinated action by security agencies, supported by both federal and state leadership, would lead to positive outcomes.
“Our prayer is that government will not abandon him,” the family member added. “We are appealing to the President and the Borno State Governor to use their offices and influence to ensure that this young man is rescued alive and reunited with his family.”
The family also called on well-meaning Nigerians to lend their voices in support of the appeal, saying public attention could help accelerate efforts to secure Ganiyu’s freedom.
Beyond the immediate family, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of logistics workers and commercial drivers who traverse high-risk routes in the course of their duties. Industry observers note that transport and logistics companies operating nationwide often deploy drivers across long-distance corridors, some of which pass through regions with security vulnerabilities.
While GIG Logistics reportedly retrieved the vehicle involved in the attack, there has been no public statement from the company detailing the circumstances surrounding the abduction or measures being taken to support the family and cooperate with security agencies. The family did not indicate whether they have received any formal briefing from the employer beyond the recovery of the vehicle.
For Ganiyu’s mother, however, corporate and operational details are secondary to the singular hope that her son will return home safely. Relatives described her as elderly and emotionally shaken by the incident, struggling to cope with the uncertainty surrounding her child’s fate.
“She has not been herself since the news broke,” the family member said. “As a mother, she cannot bear the thought that her son is in captivity. She keeps pleading that the government should act fast.”
The family reiterated that their appeal is not political but humanitarian. They stressed that Ganiyu represents countless ordinary Nigerians who risk their lives daily in pursuit of lawful employment, often travelling across state lines to fulfil work obligations.
As security agencies continue their operations in the North-East, the fate of Adekunle Hafis Ganiyu remains unknown. His family holds onto hope that swift and decisive intervention by the Federal Government and the Borno State Government will result in his safe rescue.
Until then, they say, their days are marked by anxiety and prayer, waiting for news that will bring relief to a mother’s heart and restore a son to his home.
