Ahmad Salkida, the self-exiled Nigerian
journalist, widely reported to have an unfettered access to Boko Haram,
has described as questionable, claims by Australian negotiator, Dr.
Steven Davis, of having links with the insurgent group.
Davis had named the immediate past Chief
of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, and a former Governor of
Borno State, Ali Modu Sherrif, among the sponsors of Boko Haram. But
both Ihejirika and Sherrif have denied the allegations.
Writing on Twitter, Salkida, who now
works as an import and export agent of agricultural products and textile
materials from his base in Dubai, challenged the Boko Haram leadership
to speak up on Davis’ alleged relationship with them.
Lamenting that it was worrisome that many
people –including foreigners – are now claiming to be “experts,” with a
view to profiting from the insurgency, Salkida challenged Davis to
explain the origin of his links with the extremist group.
“I wish Nigeria the peace we all deserve.
I wish and pray our children will have a place to call home and feel at
home. But why is everyone turning into an expert only when Boko Haram
became the big story? The experts here now do the sentencing and
acquittal.
“How did Davis come across Boko Haram?
What is the origin of his links? I thought until now they were faceless?
Or is there a Boko Haram Embassy in Australia?
“Anybody that puts me on a list with
Davis is ignorant of my decade-long work on the crisis in the North East
region. I wish I was not on such a list. Let Boko Haram come out to say
who they are talking to like they did in early 2012,” Salkida stated in
a series of tweets.
Salkida also raised the alarm that the life of his parents who reside in Biu, Borno State, is under threat.
Stating that his father, a retired
policeman, and his mother have both suffered severe trauma over the last
few days, he noted that a distress call he got from home was unsettling
him.
Arguing that his “access” to the Boko
Haram insurgents could not guarantee the safety of his parents he left
behind in Borno State, Salkida lamented that all his efforts at
negotiating an end to the extremism had failed.
“Some people here say I’m not sincere and
I ask: Is access (to Boko Haram) end of the crisis or just a means to
engage? What would I have done better? Without guarantees to my life, I
risked it all.
“Instead of the actors to be blamed for
not coming to an agreement, you blame the messenger. Will giving out my
sources and couriers end this crisis? No! It will only close a credible
window of opportunity to mediate when necessary.
“I’m not sure if Maiduguri still has up
to two million people. Many have died, many have fled. My father called
me from Biu, Borno State saying ‘as a retired cop and Christian, I don’t
think they (Boko Haram) will spare me and your mother when they come’.
“Most of us from Borno State have escaped
death, lost loved ones and the ones alive are traumatised. Yet when we
speak our mind we are called Boko Haram sympathisers. However, I pray
our military will soon develop a more effective strategy to reclaim our
sovereignty,” Salkida added.
As the news of the running over and
seizure of towns in the North filtered in, Salkida observed that the
battle for the soul of Maiduguri would be a “watershed.”
Urging the military forces to resist a
possible invasion of Maiduguri by the insurgents, he argued that failure
to do so would be “disastrous.”
“The Nigeria Army should not wait for
Boko Haram to reach Maiduguri. Our army should meet them in the desert
as they approach to reduce civilian casualties.
“The battle must be taken outside
Maiduguri. If Boko Haram enters the city then it may be either lost or
more disastrous than we can ever imagine. The world must not fold its
hands while a city of close to two million people is threatened,” he
said.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has
said that it was recording some gains in its counter-insurgency efforts
aimed at ridding the North-East of extremists.
A message on the Defence Headquarters’
Twitter handle on Sunday stated that the military killed no fewer than
“50 terrorists” during a raid of a Boko Haram hideout in Kawuri village
in Borno State.
“Over 50 terrorists died on Saturday
afternoon as troops raided their hideout in Kawuri before setting out on
a planned attack on Konduga.
“Fabricated artillery gun, two
anti-aircraft gun, an armoured vehicle and assorted types of ammunition
were captured in the process.
“Some hardware, weapons, food items and
personal belongings were also destroyed in the counter-insurgency
operation. But One officer and two soldiers were seriously wounded,” the
Defence Headquarters added.
