The senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly, under the All Progressives Congress, (APC), has denied allegations by Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama that he acted as an intermediary between kidnappers and the government or private individuals, insisting he has never played any such role in ransom negotiations.
Ndume’s denial follows allegations made by Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama during an interview on Radio Now 95.3 FM and in statements issued through the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), where he accused the senator of diverting part of a ₦5 billion ransom allegedly paid for the release of 416 abducted women and children from Ngoshe, Borno State.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Senator Ndume rejected the claims, explaining that his only involvement was to notify the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), the military, and other security agencies after Kaigama contacted him about a video and ransom demand allegedly issued by Boko Haram/ISWAP following the abduction of hundreds of residents from Ngoshe in Borno State.
Ndume maintained that he neither negotiated with kidnappers nor acted on behalf of any party.
“I have never, directly or indirectly acted as an intermediary between kidnappers and any government or private individuals. Not at all,” he said.
Adding, Senator Ndume explained: “On Eid-el-Kabir, Boko Haram invaded Ngoshe village in my local government and abducted 416 citizens. About a month or thereabouts—I think in April—the kidnappers issued out a video which was released by the acclaimed president of Borno South, Mr. Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama. He contacted me to say that Boko Haram/ISWAP have issued an ultimatum of 72 hours to pay a ransom of 5 billion, otherwise they would be killed or scattered or married out to hostiles.
“He contacted me several times. Then at the end of it, when I saw the video—when he sent the video—I called him and I said, ‘Have you contacted the security agencies?’ What I did, because of the bad experience I had, I immediately told him that I was going to reach out to NSA, DSS and other relevant security agencies, even the military. And I did. I shared his contact with those agencies.”
The senator further revealed that he had retained all his communications with Kaigama and had reported the allegations to security agencies, describing the matter as one of national security rather than a personal dispute.
“Fortunately, I have all my communication with him since the beginning. I wish we had time, but to sum it up, I don’t want to say much because he has crossed the line. This has become or should be taken as a serious national security matter, not personal. Again, I’m handling the defamation side differently, but I spoke with the various security agencies even after these letters released from him. I’m sure—and they promised me that they’re going to take action,” he said.
According to the senator, the allegations appear to be politically motivated, as he recalled being linked to Boko Haram in 2011 after answering a call from someone claiming to be a member of the group.
“I don’t know because, for one, I can relate it to politics. 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 the call,” he recalled.
Addressing Kaigama’s claim that he was sidelined during the ransom process, Ndume denied any involvement in handling ransom payments. He said Kaigama had approached him in an attempt to use him as a channel for the alleged payment but insisted he refused, maintaining that he does not support negotiating with or paying terrorists.
“No, he wanted to use me or to come through me for the payment of ransom. That is the question that should be directed to him. He was the one that said Boko Haram are asking for ₦5 billion.”
On claims that ₦5 billion was paid as ransom, Senator Ndume said he could not confirm whether any payment was made, insisting that questions about the alleged discrepancy should be directed to Kaigama and the government.
He reiterated that he has never supported negotiating with or paying ransom to Boko Haram, stressing that while he is privy to some security information, he has no knowledge of any ransom payments and cannot speak on behalf of the government.
“I don’t know. It is for them to use their head. If he says that 5 billion was paid ransom, then his question is supposed to be directed to him.
“I’m privy to a lot of information, but not about payment of ransom. Because my position on ransom payment ab initio, or even negotiating with Boko Haram, is clear: that I don’t support, I’m not supporting, and I will never support negotiating with Boko Haram, talk less of paying them ransom.
“If the government—wait—if the government for whatever reason decides to do that, then that is something that you should ask the government. I remember even last time when there was prisoner exchange and ransom payment during the government of Buhari where International Red Cross was involved, I was completely and totally against it,” he stressed.
Responding to calls for an investigation, Ndume said he had nothing to hide and welcomed security agencies probing the allegations.
The senator further alleged that Kaigama later asked him to contribute money towards the ransom and attempted to pressure him into doing so, claims he said were documented in their communications. Ndume added that he had urged security agencies to investigate the matter, describing the allegations against him as serious and deserving of official scrutiny.
“He made those allegations, and let me say that ab initio, when he mentioned the issue of payment of ransom, I told him I don’t want to be involved, and I told him I’m going to connect him with DSS by sharing his contact and talking to DSS. I did that. He came back now to say that he has been trying to reach those people and he couldn’t do that. And I categorically told him, ‘Look, I have no business in this because of my bad experience.’ And the time I began suspecting him, which is even the second case, when he demanded that I should contribute money for the ransom.
“It’s a matter of time because I have all the communication with him as clear as day, where I told him bluntly, ‘Look, you cannot drag me into this, and you cannot blackmail me into it. I have told you my stand. I have done my best. The best I could do is to connect you or give your contact to the appropriate authority.’ And I told him categorically that I’m a senator, but even as a political figure, I’m not the only political figure in Borno South. So I said, ‘Reach out.’ And I have reached out to the security agencies, and the good thing is they promised to investigate. I called for them to investigate, and they promised that they will get into it to discuss. Because this issue has crossed the line, it’s a very dangerous allegation, and it should be taken seriously,” he stressed.
Ndume said Kaigama should be made to substantiate his allegations, insisting the claims should be thoroughly investigated.
“It shouldn’t be independent. It can be independent, it can be anyhow. But there is the need for him to come in to show the figures or the allegations, or to prove these allegations.”
He also dismissed Kaigama’s claim that Boko Haram and ISWAP were observing a ceasefire, citing recent attacks and ongoing abductions in Borno State as evidence to the contrary.
“That is a lie, because just last Saturday, Boko Haram attempted to kidnap students of the Polytechnic in Monguno.”
Refuting claims that he acted as a mediator in hostage negotiations, Ndume maintained his only role was to pressure the government and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts. He reiterated that he does not support negotiating with or paying ransom to terrorists and insisted he was never involved in any ransom process.
“Not at all. What I have been doing—and I am still doing, and I am still going to continue doing—is to pressurize the government to intensify their effort to rescue my people, and to also defend them. That is all I did.
“I am involved in pressurizing, and I am still doing that, and I will still use this forum to call on the security agencies to intensify their effort to rescue the remaining.
“My position has been that the Nigerian security agencies should continue the pressure on Boko Haram as they are doing now, and we can see success. I’m not involved in, and I don’t support, the payment of ransom. That’s my position up to now. I don’t support negotiating with terrorists, and I don’t support that when terrorists surrender, you take them in and all that. That is my position, and it will not change,” he maintained.
Reacting to Kaigama’s allegation that politicians profit from insecurity, Ndume said the claims should be thoroughly investigated, while accusing Kaigama of soliciting money from desperate families of abductees. He said he cut off communication with Kaigama after learning of the alleged fundraising efforts and urged security agencies to get to the root of the matter and make their findings public.
“This is a very serious matter that I spoke to the various security agencies about, and they promised that they are going to take him up.
“Just like this one, because as I told you, I only saw him on TV today. I have never met him personally. I cut off communication with him when he even asked people to pay money into a certain account, and they didn’t get results. The account details are with me here, as I told you. He was extorting money because people are desperate,” he alleged.
Urging security agencies to investigate the allegations, the lawmaker said the matter goes beyond defamation and constitutes a serious national security issue. He questioned Kaigama’s claims of communicating with Boko Haram and having knowledge of alleged ransom payments, insisting the facts should be established through a thorough investigation.
“Most importantly, I’m waiting for the security agencies to invite both of us and investigate this matter, and take it up urgently because this borders not only on defamation, but on national security. It’s a very serious matter.
“Indeed, when somebody says he is talking to Boko Haram, when somebody is saying that he asked Boko Haram to cease fire while people are still being killed—even today there was an attack in my place, even though the military is standing up to them—when you have somebody claiming that he was the one responsible for the release of the people, and that he knew ransom was paid and the terrorists were shortchanged, and it was the government that paid it… whoever paid that ransom, everything should be handled properly,” he urged.
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