Senator Ali Ndume has revealed how he was allegedly dragged into a controversial ransom issue involving Boko Haram and the abduction of hundreds of residents in Borno State.

The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District said a man identified as Samaila Kaigame repeatedly contacted him over the release of kidnapped victims, claiming that insurgents were demanding ₦5 billion before they could regain their freedom.

Ndume made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Tuesday, where he explained how the situation unfolded and why he became suspicious of the requests being made to him.

According to the senator, Kaigame claimed to be acting on behalf of families and communities affected by the abductions. He allegedly informed Ndume that Boko Haram fighters had demanded ₦5 billion as ransom for the release of those being held captive.

The senator said the requests became more troubling when he was allegedly asked to personally contribute money towards the ransom payment.

Ndume stated that he immediately distanced himself from the proposal and instead directed the matter to security agencies and other relevant authorities.

He maintained that he has never supported the payment of ransom to terrorists and would not be part of any arrangement involving negotiations with Boko Haram.

“Kaigame demanded ransom, calling me to say Boko Haram was asking for N5 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.

“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,” Ndume said.

The senator noted that the circumstances reminded him of events that occurred years ago when he was linked to Boko Haram allegations after receiving phone calls from an individual who claimed to be associated with the terrorist group.

According to him, simply answering a phone call at the time was enough for some people to create a narrative against him.

“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.

“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,” he added.

Ndume said there were inconsistencies in the claims being made by those presenting themselves as intermediaries between the insurgents and the government.

The senator insisted that all matters relating to the rescue of abducted victims should remain in the hands of security agencies, rather than citizens.

For years, the issue of ransom payments has remained controversial in Nigeria. While some families have been forced to raise money to secure the release of loved ones, government have repeatedly warned against paying terrorists.Nigerian social issues

In a related development, the latest comments by Ndume are coming months after he publicly rejected calls for ransom payments following the abduction of hundreds of residents from communities in Borno State.

At the height of concerns over the fate of more than 400 kidnapped villagers in April, the senator firmly stated that terrorists should not be rewarded with public funds or government-backed negotiations.

Speaking on the crisis at the time, Ndume described the mass abduction as a devastating tragedy for communities in his constituency.

“It was unbelievable, shocking, but it is true. These are my people, from my local government, and it’s devastating for the community,” he said.

The lawmaker maintained that despite the emotional pressure surrounding the incident, the government should not bow to the demands of insurgents.

He argued that giving in to ransom demands would only encourage more kidnappings and strengthen terrorist operations across the North-East.

As a solution, the senator urged the Federal Government to provide more equipment and operational support to troops fighting insurgency in the region.

He added that lasting peace could only be achieved through sustained military pressure, improved intelligence gathering and stronger protection for vulnerable communities.