Nigeria govt. keeps mum as journalist Salkida spends day 1 in custody

The Nigeria Army that previously declared Boko Haram’s foremost media contact, Akmad Salkida, wanted has denied knowledge of the journalist’s arrest and detention by the police on Monday.

According to SaharaReporters, Salkida was arrested right at the door of an Emirate aircraft marked EK785 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he stepped down.

Quoting a female passenger who sat next to Salkida, the online news outlet said the Nigerian journalist was a bit nervous all through the flight.

She said Salkida told her that he expected to be arrested upon arrival because he was travelling with an Emergency Travel Certificate, ETC, and that the DSS was aware of his coming.

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The Army believes Salkida, who was a friend of Boko Haram’s founder Mohammed Yusuff, knows the whereabouts of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls the terrorists kidnapped in 2014 because he exclusively published the latest video of the girls.

Salikda, however, said he did not know the whereabouts of Boko Haram leaders or Chibok girls. However, he admitted to receiving two video clips from Boko Haram before they were released to the public.

According to him, Boko Haram has confidence in his objectivity as an investigative journalist, having previously interviewed Yusuf, the founding leader of Boko Haram.

Salkida, who, alongside Aisha Wakil and Ahmed Bolori, was declared wanted weeks  ago, wonders why the government would do that. He has been invoved at some level of negotiation for the release of the girls.