The only Nigerian journalist with access to Boko Haram flown home to negotiate with group
Nigerian journalist, Ahmad Salkida, who previously worked for Daily
Trust and Premium Times and reported extensively on
Boko Haram, fled Nigeria to Dubai 2 years ago after being accused of
being a Boko Haram sympathizer. He said he fled after 'his life and that
of his family became endangered' after security agencies began to
mistake his in-depth reporting on the terrorist
group as evidence of his closeness to them. He went underground for
several weeks before finally fleeing Nigeria. Salkida was perhaps the
only Nigerian journalist/civilian to have access to Boko Haram, and he
said at the time that he'd turned down Boko
Haram's many requests for him to publish exclusive interviews and
materials for them.
Anyway according to new reports, the Nigerian government flew him back
home a few weeks ago to negotiate with Boko Haram on their behalf, since
he's the only civilian who has allegedly seen Boko Haram leader
Abubakar Shekau and come out alive. He reportedly came back home after
the Nigerian government assured him that he will not be arrested. (See
his tweets). Continue...
From UK Daily Mail
One hundred non-combatant, low-level sympathisers were to be freed
and the two groups brought together in a convoy of buses accompanied by a
hand-picked go-between, respected Nigerian journalist Ahmad Salkida.
The plan had been agreed in tortuous negotiations in response to
worldwide outrage over a night-time raid on a school in the town of
Chibok on April 14 when the girls were abducted from their dormitories.
Mr Salkida was born in Borno State, where Boko Haram originated. He
has known its leaders all his life and has unprecedented access.
He has been arrested on several occasions accused of being a Boko
Haram sympathiser, and he fled with his family to Dubai two years ago.
But two weeks ago, he was summoned out of exile by President
Jonathan’s aides. He initially feared he might face arrest, but was then
given a letter of indemnity signed by the President when he flew to
Nigeria.
Sources said Mr Salkida was able to travel by taxi to the group’s
forest camp to talk to Shekau two weeks ago. ‘His mission was secretive
and dangerous,’ they said.
He is probably the only civilian with access to Shekau. There is
trust between them and Salkida had only one aim – to get the schoolgirls
out.
He reported afterwards that the group of girls he saw were alive and
well, and being adequately fed and sheltered. They told him all they
wanted was to go home.
Salkida’s mission was complicated by the chaos surrounding
government’s pronouncements about negotiations with the terrorist group.
Shekau has released two shocking videos showing the girls dressed in hijabs and reciting verses from the Koran.
