A Nigerian journalist declared wanted by the authorities for alleged links
to Boko Haram has been released from custody, the BBC reported him as
saying on Wednesday.
The military said last month it wanted to question Ahmad Salkida for
allegedly concealing information on the more than 200 schoolgirls
kidnapped by the Islamists more than two years ago.
Nigerian media reported that he was arrested when he arrived in the
capital Abuja on a flight from the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
But the BBC said he had since sent a text message to the broadcaster’s
Hausa-language service saying he was “released in less than 24 hours
without any conditions”.
He also denied being arrested at the airport, saying he had been given a
“pre-arranged lift” by the authorities, whom he said misunderstood the
role of journalists in reporting the conflict.
The army, which also denied the arrest, said on August 15 it wanted to
speak to the journalist, after he tweeted about a new video of the
captured schoolgirls before it was published on YouTube.
Army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said at the time there was “no doubt”
the reporter and two other individuals “have links with Boko Haram
terrorists and have contacts with them”.
Salkida has reported extensively on Boko Haram over the last 10 years and
is believed to have high-level contacts within the group and previously
been involved in talks to free the kidnapped girls.
He has maintained he has done nothing wrong and that he was prepared to
return to Nigeria to speak to the authorities.
A total of 218 schoolgirls from the Borno state town of Chibok are still
being held by Boko Haram.
The militants have said they will release them in exchange for imprisoned
rebel fighters held by the government.