Boko Haram: Civil Society Accuses Salkida, Others Of Seeking Cheap Popularity
A civil society group, Stand Up Nigeria (SUN) has accused the three persons declared wanted by the Nigerian army in connection with the missing Chibok girls, Ahmed Salkida, (Ambassador) Ahmed U. Bolori and Aisha Wakil as seeking cheap popularity by creating public outrage against the military in the hope that this could be used to blackmail their way out.
Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, SUN Executive Director of Communication, Arubi Justina said such antics must be condemned by professional bodies which any of the trio is claiming affiliation to.
She said even if they had genuinely started out as professional journalist, negotiators, activists or any other occupation, they have since crossed the threshold of professionalism to become terrorists’ sympathisers who revel in supporting killers while making money out of their missions.
She said from their antecedents, Salkida has overstepped his journalistic boundaries, saying if he has no affiliation with the Insurgents, he would have as a matter of national security divulge the information available to him to security agencies.
According to her, these wanted persons were behind the series of Boko Haram negotiation scams that costed Nigerians billions of naira under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
She said, “Since they were declared wanted, these Boko Haram collaborators have taken to the media in their usual fashion in attempts to create public outrage against the military in the hope that this could be used to blackmail their way out having to give accounts for their relationship with the world’s most despicable terror group. They have immediately embarked on a media campaign to the effect that they are ready to appear before the army; that they have contributed and made so much sacrifices towards containing Boko Haram or securing the release of the girls; or that they are being persecuted.
“Similarly, their fellow members in the intellectual wing of Boko Haram had desperately tried to paint the trio as victims; paint Salkida as a journalists being vilified for his doggedness and the other two as genuine negotiators.
“Stand Up Nigeria therefore call on Nigerians, human rights activist, journalists and online community to shun any extension of solidarity to the trio of wanted Boko Haram sympathisers. Salkida, Wakili and Bolori have at different times confessed to knowing more than the ordinarily in terms of her association with Boko Haram.”
She urged the Nigerian Army not to be distracted from their conventional military business, saying they are trying to use negative media to blackmail the Army and the Federal Government in a ploy that is as despicable as their association with Boko Haram.
She said, “We urge the Army not to relax the wanted notice issued on these people as their claims of readiness to turn themselves in remains mere theatrics until they actualise it. Authorities must also take steps to contain the propaganda value that these individuals would try to make out of when they surrender or are eventually arrested. It must be clearly spelt out that these are not activists neither are they heroes that should inspire anyone.”
