How wanted journalist, Salkida, was arrested at Abuja airport

The Department of State Services has
arrested Ahmed Salkida, a journalist, who
was declared wanted by the Nigerian Army
last month.
It was learnt that Salkida was arrested at
the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,
Abuja, on Monday afternoon shortly after
his flight landed.
The suspect, who is based in Dubai, is one
of the three persons declared wanted for
their alleged link to Boko Haram.
Salkida, a female lawyer, Aisha Waliki; and
Ahmed Bolori were declared wanted by the
military after Boko Haram released a video
showing some of the Chibok girls it
abducted on April 14, 2014.
A security operative, who spoke to one of
our correspondents on condition of
anonymity on Monday, said, “When we
declared him wanted, he said he was
willing to return to Nigeria but only on the
condition that we send him a flight ticket.
“His Nigerian passport had expired but the
Federal Government instructed the Nigeria
Immigration Service not to issue him a new
passport because he could run away after
getting the passport. So, he was given an
Emergency Travel Certificate, which allows
the holder to travel only to his country of
citizenship.
“With nowhere to run to, he had no choice
but to return. So, immediately he boarded
the plane from Dubai, we started waiting for
him at the airport.”
It was learnt that the suspect had been
taken to the office of the DSS, where he
would be debriefed.
It was unclear if he would be transferred to
the Nigerian Army’s custody.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations,
Col. Sani Usman, told one of our
correspondents that he had not got any
information that the Directorate of Military
Intelligence had arrested Salkida.
He promised to call NAIJATONIC on the
development whenever he got information
on the issue.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 1,500 members of
Boko Haram have surrendered to Nigerian
troops in the troubled North-East.
Investigations by naijatonic revealed that
some of the Boko Haram members
surrendered to troops at Buni Yadi, Yobe
State, last week while others surrendered at
various battle fronts in Borno State.
It was learnt that those who surrendered to
security forces recently were over 700,
bringing the total number of those who had
surrendered between April 2015 and August
2016 to 1,500.
The Acting Director, Defence Information,
Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, who confirmed
the figure in a telephone conversation with
Naijatonic on Monday, had earlier said
800 of the insurgents surrendered to
security forces in April 2016.
Abubakar said the 700 insurgents, who
surrendered recently, were undergoing
security profiling and documentation.
He said the military was encouraging the
Boko Haram fighters to abandon their
struggle and surrender to security forces.
Abubakar said, “In the North-East, the
operation is going on well and so many
Boko Haram fighters have been suffering.
“For now, over 1,500 have surrendered to
troops. It used to be 800 but because of
the increasing number of those who are
surrendering, we have over 1,500.
“I believe so many of them will come out
too and we are encouraging them to come
out, they shouldn’t continue to suffer.
“We are encouraging those who are still
hiding to come out and abandon their
unholy struggle. They are undergoing proper
security profiling and documentation.”