The Department of State Services has arrested a journalist, Ahmed Salkida, declared wanted for allegedly having close links with dreaded sect, Boko Haram.
Advertisement
The journalist, who released a Boko Haram video showing abducted Chibok girls from Nigeria’s northeast, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.
He was said to have been arrested from the door of aircraft.
Salkida was declared wanted by the army on August 14 along with two other individuals – rights activists Ahmed Bolori and Aisha Wakil. “If there is any information about Ahmad Salkida’s arrival to Nigeria and being apprehended, I think the first organ of government that will know is defense headquarters”.
In his reaction to the declaration by the army, Mr Salkida, who was not in Nigeria at that time, said that he was prepared to return to Nigeria and had indeed kick started the process to honour the invitation.
“Consequently, appeal was made for their unconditional release by the Federal Government”.
Nigeria’s military has said it has the insurgents “on the run” and needs only to clear them out of border areas and their northeastern stronghold in the Sambisa Forest.
The army had later explained that the three persons declared wanted were being invited to explain what they knew and not for any sinister goal.
“We are relying on the relevant laws of the land and in particular the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 (as amended) where Nigerians could be punished for failure to disclose information about terrorists or terrorists’ activities”.
Advertisement
However, he admitted to receiving two video clips from Boko Haram before they were released to the public. They must therefore come forward and tell us where the group is keeping the Chibok Girls and other abducted persons to enable us rescue them.
