Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has denied allegations that he facilitated the payment of a N5 billion ransom to Boko Haram/ISWAP for the release of abducted residents of Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, the lawmaker said his only role was to notify security agencies after learning of the abduction and the insurgents’ ransom demand.
The allegations followed claims by the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, that N5 billion was paid to secure the release of 360 hostages and that Ndume facilitated or contributed about N1.9 billion of the amount.
The Borno State Government has, however, maintained that no ransom was paid, insisting that the hostages were rescued through a military operation.
Responding to the allegations, Ndume said the insurgents abducted 416 residents of Ngoshe during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, after which Kaigama contacted him, claiming to have established communication with Boko Haram.
According to the senator, Kaigama informed him that the terrorists demanded N5 billion and threatened to kill or forcibly marry off the captives if the ransom was not paid within 72 hours.
Ndume said he immediately reported the development to the National Security Adviser, the police, military intelligence and the Director-General of the Department of State Services rather than engaging in any negotiation with the insurgents.
He said he had never met Kaigama in person and that all their interactions were through telephone calls and voice messages, which he claimed to have preserved.
The senator said he became suspicious when Kaigama allegedly pressured him to contribute money toward the ransom.
“I told him that I do not support negotiation with Boko Haram, not to talk of paying ransom, and I think that is where the problem started,” Ndume said.
He also dismissed claims that he contributed N1.9 billion toward the alleged ransom, saying he had never seen such an amount in cash.
The lawmaker reiterated that he has consistently opposed negotiating with terrorist groups or paying ransom, questioning how the alleged payment was made and challenging his accuser to provide evidence to security agencies.
Ndume disclosed that he had reported Kaigama to the police over what he described as defamatory statements and intends to institute legal action against him.
He further alleged that some of his constituents accused Kaigama of collecting money from families of abducted victims without securing their release, adding that the youth leader was facing an extortion case before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Recalling his own experience, Ndume said he was prosecuted in 2011 over alleged contact with a man claiming links to Boko Haram but was eventually discharged after the court found no evidence against him.
He maintained that his engagement with security agencies has always been aimed at securing the release of abducted residents through lawful means, noting that dozens of his constituents remain in Boko Haram captivity.
