My services are still available – Boko Haram Negotiator, Ahmad Salkida.
According to Punch:
Northern-born journalist widely reported to have strong ties with the
Boko Haram sect, Ahmad Salkida, has said that he is still readily
available to render his services to bring an end to the insurgency in
the country. Salkida was said to be close to the late Boko Haram
founder, Mohammed Yusuf, as well as many top shots of the group.
He had since fled to the United Arab Emirates on account of an alleged
threat to his life over what he described as his “professional
closeness” to the insurgents.
“My first-rate exclusive reports on the insurgency in northern Nigeria
served by the Boko Haram militant group unsettled a section of the local
authorities. This consequently led to threats to my life. I now live
with my family and work part-time in the United Arab Emirates,” a post
on his LinkedIn page read.
But, writing on Twitter, Salkida stated that despite being “gagged for
doing his work dutifully and lawfully,” he is still willing to make use
of his “rare” working relationship with members of the sect to restore
peace to northern Nigeria.
According to him, terrorism as seen today in the country is a tactic
used by “a few extremists” against an overwhelmingly peaceful
population.
“There is nothing wrong in having professional access to insurgents as
long as it is used to save lives and promote peaceful co-existence. I
will forever be readily available to use my rare professional access and
knowledge to end this madness and senseless violence in Nigeria.
“Speculations should not becloud the fact that there are many
well-meaning patriots, including myself, that are working quietly day
and night for peace. Nigeria is our country. We have no other country to
call our own. So let’s get it right. I love Nigeria, I cherish its
unity. I will do anything legitimately to make it better than it is, if I
can,” he wrote on his Twitter feed.
The 40-year-old who grew up in Maiduguri, Borno State added that the
most effective way the Federal Government can fight terrorism was to
“study those behind it and review what strategy works and what doesn’t
work.”
He also urged Nigerians to unite against the Boko Haram insurgency by
not seeing it as a menace ravaging the northern Nigeria but a threat to
the entire country. Calling on Nigerians to render “unconditional
support” to the military, he counselled the armed forces to endeavour to
be “more accountable” in the ongoing war against the insurgents.
Salkida frowned on summary killing of Boko Haram detainees, saying the
development amounted to extrajudicial executions opposed by
international laws. “Is there a good understanding of the structure,
composition and lifeline of the Boko Haram by our leaders? Has there
been a counter-terrorism strategy in Nigeria that has worked in the last
three years beyond summary execution and detention without trial?
“Will the Boko Haram crisis end? It may never be totally eliminated, but
a cohesive community that trusts its authorities can curb it. The day
we begin to see this war as a threat to Nigeria and not a threat to the
Beroms, Christians or Muslims, that is the beginning of our victory,” he
added. Confronting terrorism, he argued, would be futile if the Federal
Government does not move to confront “lesser evils” which he reeled out
as corruption, electoral fraud and bad governance.
The journalist, who has won grants from organisations such as the
Committee to Protect Journalist and Reporters without Borders, carpeted
President Goodluck Jonathan for blaming the opposition for terrorism.
“I’m frustrated each time my dear President blames the opposition and
the opposition blames him. You all need to sit down in the interest of
Nigeria and learn. How can this crisis stop when security and political
leaders, with the onus of responsibility for public safety, politicise
insurgency?
“This is a case of corrosive doctrine that is poorly managed by the
authorities. If effective measures are not taken today, at the end of
GEJ’s administration – whether it is General Muhammodu Buhari,
(Babatunde) Fashola or Atiku (Abubakar) that is taking over – the crisis
will intensify. It’s not who is in power.The central theme of the Boko
Haram insurgency is to undermine the institution of democracy and those
that support it,” he added in a series of tweets.
No comments:
Post a Comment