Senator Ali Ndume has denied allegations that he acted as a middleman between kidnappers and the government or private individuals, saying he has never been involved in ransom negotiations.
Ndume, who represents Borno South, spoke on Tuesday during an interview on Arise News. He was responding to claims by Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance, who accused him of involvement in handling an alleged ransom for the release of abducted residents of Ngoshe in Borno State.
“I have never, directly or indirectly, acted as an intermediary between kidnappers and any government or private individuals. Not at all,” Ndume said.
According to the senator, his only role was to alert security agencies after Kaigama contacted him over a video allegedly released by Boko Haram/ISWAP demanding a N5 billion ransom following the abduction of 416 residents of Ngoshe.
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Ndume said he immediately notified the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the military and other security agencies, and shared Kaigama’s contact details with them.
He said he rejected any request to take part in ransom discussions.
“He wanted to use me or to come through me for the payment of ransom. I told him I don’t want to be involved. The best I could do was to connect him with the appropriate authorities,” he said.
The lawmaker reiterated his long-standing position against negotiating with terrorists or paying ransom.
“My position on ransom payment from the beginning is clear. I don’t support it, I’m not supporting it, and I will never support negotiating with Boko Haram, talk less of paying them ransom,” he said.
Ndume called on security agencies to investigate the allegations, describing it as a matter of national security.
He also alleged that Kaigama later asked families of abducted victims to pay money into a specific account.
“I cut off communication with him when he even asked people to pay money into a certain account. He was extorting money because people are desperate,” Ndume alleged.
The senator dismissed claims that Boko Haram and ISWAP had observed a ceasefire, noting that insurgents recently attempted to abduct students of a polytechnic in Monguno.
He urged security agencies to invite everyone involved in the matter for questioning.
“What I have been doing and I will continue doing, is to press the government to intensify efforts to rescue my people and defend them. I’m not involved in, and I don’t support, the payment of ransom,” he said.
