I’ve never seen N1bn cash in my life – Senator Ali Ndume says as he denies intermediary claim

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has denied allegations linking him to ransom payments or negotiations with kidnappers, insisting he has never handled ransom money or participated in talks with terrorist groups.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, July 24, Ndume was responding to claims by the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, who accused him of being involved in negotiations surrounding the release of abducted residents of Ngoshe in Borno State.

The senator firmly rejected the allegations, saying he has never received or handled the amounts being mentioned. He said: “I have said it already. In my life, I have never seen ₦1 billion cash, not to talk of ₦5 billion.” Ndume explained that he neither negotiated with the terrorists nor took part in any ransom arrangement.

According to him, his only involvement was informing security agencies after Kaigama alerted him to a video allegedly released by Boko Haram/ISWAP, in which the terrorist group reportedly demanded a ₦5 billion ransom for the abducted victims.

The senator maintained that beyond reporting the information to the appropriate authorities, he played no role in any discussions or ransom negotiations.