Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South in the National Assembly, has forcefully rejected allegations that he acted as an intermediary or negotiator between Boko Haram terrorists and private individuals or government representatives over the abduction of residents in Ngoshe, Borno State.
​Addressing the claims during a live broadcast on ARISE News on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the senior lawmaker dismissed the assertions as entirely false, maintaining that he has never been involved in facilitating ransom payments for kidnapped victims.
​The controversy stems from statements made by Samaila Kaigama, President of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), who accused the senator of playing a role in mediation efforts following the mass kidnapping of over 400 residents from Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area, earlier this year.
​”I have never, directly or indirectly, acted as an intermediary between kidnappers and any government or private individuals,” Ndume said during the interview. “Not at all.”
​Explaining his involvement, Ndume clarified that Kaigama contacted him after the abductors released a video demanding a ₦5 billion ransom within 72 hours. According to the senator, the youth leader sought to route the ransom through his office, a request Ndume stated he immediately refused.
​”He wanted to use me or to come through me for the payment of ransom,” Ndume stated. “I told him I don’t want to be involved… The best I could do was to connect him with the appropriate authorities.”
​Rather than engaging with the insurgents, Ndume explained that he alerted the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and top military commanders, providing them with Kaigama’s contact details to handle the situation professionally.
​Ndume reiterated his strict stance against negotiating with terrorists or enabling ransom transactions. He urged national security agencies to thoroughly investigate Kaigama’s activities, alleging that the youth leader had attempted to solicit money into private bank accounts from the families of abducted victims.
​The senator concluded by calling on law enforcement to treat the matter as a critical issue of national security rather than a personal dispute.
