Wanted journalist Salkida released

Salkida

Less than 48 hours after he was taken into custody by the Department of State Security Service(DSS), a journalist, Ahmed Salkida, has regained freedom.

He might be allowed to renew his international passport to be able to rejoin his family in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It was learnt that Salkida was released because there was no incriminating allegation against him.

He was also said to have made “honest and frank” suggestions to the government in the past on how to resolve the abduction of the Chibok girls through dialogue.

According to a top source, Salkida was released on Tuesday after he told his interrogators that all his stories were “only in line of duty as a journalist.”

The source said: “In line with our commitment to the protection of fundamental human rights, the DSS has released Salkida after preliminary interaction with him.

“The truth is that the interaction with the DSS was at the instance of Salkida who told the government that he was ready to come home to clear his name.

“It was on this basis that the Nigerian Embassy in the UAE granted him Emergency Travel Certificate( ETC). Now, he has explained his own side in a honest and frank manner.

“So far, no allegation has been established against him because he told the DSS team that all his stories and few clips were sourced in line of duty as a journalist.

“But the ongoing investigation of those with links with Boko Haram has not been closed by security agencies and the Army.

“He had passed his suggestions through a senior official of the government who later contacted the security agencies. The Presidency was even in the picture of his patriotic efforts and recipes.

“Therefore, Salkida had been of help by making recommendations even to the government. I think there was inter-agency communication gap in declaring him and two others wanted by the Army.”

It was not immediately clear if the Nigerian Army might still question Salkida or not.

The release of a video clip on the missing girls made the Army to declare Aisha Wakil, Amb. Ahmed Umar Bolori and Salkida wanted on  August 14.