When ISWAP Abduct 416 People In Ngoshe, They Issued A 72hrs Ultimatum To Pay A Reason Of N5bn-Ndume

According to a report by Vanguard on Thursday, July 23, 2026, Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, has denied allegations that he served as a go-between for kidnappers and either the government or private persons, stressing that he has never taken part in ransom talks of any kind.

The lawmaker said the claims against him were false and misleading, adding that his involvement in the matter was limited to alerting the appropriate security authorities after he was contacted over a video linked to Boko Haram and ISWAP.

According to him, the video allegedly showed the insurgents demanding a ransom of N5 billion for the release of 416 people who were abducted from Ngoshe village in his constituency.

He said the development was brought to his attention by Kaigama, who reached out to him after seeing the clip.

Ndume explained that once he received the information, he did not attempt to negotiate with the kidnappers or convey any message on behalf of any party. Instead, he said he moved quickly to involve the agencies responsible for handling such security threats.

He stated that his first response was to contact the National Security Adviser, before also reaching out to the Department of State Services, the military and other relevant security formations.

He added that he also shared Kaigama’s contact details with the security agencies so they could verify the information and take the necessary steps.

The senator maintained that his action was driven by concern for the safety of the abducted residents and the need for the authorities to be informed immediately.

He said his response was consistent with his responsibility as a public office holder representing an area affected by insecurity.

Ndume said he had nothing to do with ransom arrangements, mediation, or any private negotiations with the abductors, insisting that his only role was to report the matter to security agencies.

He said the matter should not be misrepresented as though he had acted as a middleman between the kidnappers and anyone else.

“On Eid-el-Kabir, Boko Haram invaded Ngoshe village in my local government and abducted 416 citizens… He contacted me to say that Boko Haram/ISWAP had issued a 72-hour ultimatum to pay a ransom of N5 billion.

“When I saw the video, I asked him, ‘Have you contacted the security agencies?’ I immediately reached out to the NSA, DSS and other relevant security agencies, including the military, and shared his contact with them,” he said……See More