The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Senator Ali Ndume, has alleged that a man identified as Samaila Kaigame attempted to involve him in raising a ₦5 billion ransom purportedly demanded by Boko Haram for the release of kidnapped victims.
Ndume made the disclosure while speaking during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television on Tuesday, where he dismissed suggestions that he supported ransom payments or negotiations with terrorists.
According to the senator, Kaigame, who allegedly presented himself as the leader of the Borno South Youth Alliance, repeatedly contacted him, claiming that members of his community had been abducted and that Boko Haram was demanding ₦5 billion to secure their freedom.
Ndume said he became suspicious after Kaigame allegedly requested that he personally contribute towards the ransom payment.
READ RELATED NEWS HERE :
Ndume eyes fifth Senate term in 2027 as Borno youths rally support
Ndume says bombs delivered via tricycles in Maiduguri attacks
Ndume dismisses ADC as major threat, backs APC ahead of future elections
“Kaigame demanded ransom, calling me to say Boko Haram was asking for ₦5 billion. He wanted to use me for the payment of ransom. I began suspecting him when he demanded that I contribute towards the payment of ransom,” Ndume said.
The former Senate Chief Whip maintained that he neither supports nor encourages the payment of ransom to terrorist groups, stressing that he instead directed Kaigame to the appropriate security agencies and government authorities.
“I cannot speak for the government if the ransom was paid or not. I do not and will never support the payment of ransom or negotiations with Boko Haram,” he stated.
Ndume also linked the controversy surrounding the allegations to politics, recalling an incident in 2011 when he was allegedly implicated because someone who claimed to be a Boko Haram member contacted him by telephone.
“I can relate all these to politics because the government did that at one time. In 2011, it was alleged just because somebody who claims to be a Boko Haram member called my number and then I picked, they roped you into it,” he said.
He questioned the credibility of Kaigame’s claims, arguing that there were inconsistencies in his account.
“The same thing now. If you watch the video, you can find contradictions there from the beginning, because this is somebody who is claiming that he has contact with Boko Haram,” Ndume added.
