Senator Ndume Denies Involvement In Ransom Payments, Terrorist Negotiations.

 

Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, has dismissed allegations linking him to ransom payments or negotiations with kidnappers, insisting he has never handled ransom money or engaged in talks with terrorist groups.

Speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today on Friday, 24 July, Ndume was responding to claims made by the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, who accused him of being involved in negotiations over the release of residents of Ngoshe in Borno State who were abducted by suspected terrorists.

The senator categorically denied the allegations, stating that he had never received or handled the sums being mentioned.

"I have said it already. In my life, I have never seen ₦1 billion in cash, let alone ₦5 billion," Ndume said, stressing that he neither negotiated with the terrorists nor took part in any ransom arrangement.

According to the lawmaker, his only involvement was alerting security agencies after Kaigama informed him about a video allegedly released by Boko Haram/ISWAP, in which the group reportedly demanded a ₦5 billion ransom for the abducted victims.

Ndume maintained that, aside from reporting the information to the relevant authorities, he played no role in any discussions or ransom negotiations.