Ndume Accuse Nigerian Government of Phone Surveillance, Questions Security Agencies’ Priorities
Senator Ali Ndume has alleged that his phone conversations are being monitored by the Nigerian government, raising concerns about surveillance and the effectiveness of the country’s security architecture.
Ndume made the claim on Thursday while speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television.
Responding to questions during the interview, the lawmaker said he had been warned several times to be cautious about his phone conversations, as they were allegedly being tracked. When asked directly if the government was monitoring him, Ndume responded, “Yes.”
Despite the claim, the senator downplayed the concern, noting that Nigeria is currently grappling with serious security challenges.
He, however, questioned the priorities of security agencies, arguing that if authorities have the capacity to monitor public figures, they should be able to track and curb the activities of terrorists and bandits.
Ndume pointed to instances where criminal groups reportedly share their operations on social media platforms such as TikTok, yet evade arrest.
“You can imagine the bandits, the terrorists in Nigeria have the audacity to be reporting their atrocities on TikTok and then dispersing,” he said.
He added that if security agencies can monitor politically exposed persons, it raises concerns about why similar efforts are not effectively deployed to locate and neutralize criminal elements.
“If I can be monitored, I keep getting confused as to why they can’t track the activities and whereabouts of terrorists,” Ndume stated.
The senator maintained that while he does not see the alleged monitoring as a major issue, it highlights broader questions about Nigeria’s security priorities and intelligence capabilities.