Ali Ndume denies involvement in ransom negotiations
Ali Ndume, Senator for Borno South, has denied acting as a middleman between kidnappers and any government or private individuals. He responded to allegations from Samaila Kaigama that linked him to ransom negotiations for abducted residents of Ngoshe, Borno State. Ndume insists his only role was to alert security agencies after being contacted about a ransom demand video. He maintains he does not support negotiating with terrorists or paying ransoms.
What we know
- Ali Ndume stated he has never participated, directly or indirectly, in ransom negotiations with kidnappers.
- He said his involvement was limited to notifying security agencies after Samaila Kaigama contacted him about a ransom demand video.
- Ndume claims he distanced himself from any discussion on ransom payments and only connected Kaigama with authorities.
- He alleged that Kaigama later sought money from families of abductees, which led Ndume to cut off communication.
- Ndume called for security agencies to investigate the matter, emphasizing its importance as a national security issue.
