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Ahmad Salkida is one of the three persons declared wanted on Sunday by the military for their alleged ties to Boko Haram sect.
The Army accused the trio of Salkida, Ahmed Bolori and Mrs. Aisha Wakil, of using their link with Boko Haram to distribute propaganda materials for the insurgents and denying the military and other authorities useful information that could help in the war against the terror.
They were declared wanted a few hours after the latest Boko Haram video was posted on Sunday. If found guilty, the trio risked being be charged under Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011.
But Bolori and Ms. Wakil yesterday submitted themselves to the military in Abuja and Maiduguri for interrogations.
Sakilda, a Nigerian journalist who is based in Dubai, spoke of plans to return home if the authorities make arrangement for his flight ticket.
On August 8, Salkida had a Twitter โhangoutโ with Farooq Kperogi, an associate professor of Journalism at Kennesaw State University, United States (U.S.)
Mr. Salkida asked Mr. Kperogiโs opinion about the challenges heโs been facing since he became an authority on the activities of Boko Haram sect, especially the ethical questions around his access to the terror groupโs hierarchy..
The tweets were curated on Premium Times by Mukhtar Danโiyan, a security analyst, from where they were adapted for questions and answers.
Excerpts of Sakildaโs chat with Kperogi:
Thank you for the opportunity to ask you questions about journalism. Let me start with some background on my person and work?
Interesting. I think I am familiar with your professional profile and your reporting on Boko Haram.
Didnโt you also report for Blueprint newspapers?
Iโve worked as a reporter with the Insider Weekly, Crystal Magazines and New Sentinel for about four years before. I even dispatched the first-ever report on Boko Haram in 2006. As expected, I stayed on the story because I believe it holds potential for a major news break.
Despite little interest by many editors. I remained persistent which earned me to acquire invaluable sources. I became the lone journalist with rare access to Boko Haram. I can get all the scoops I asked, but out of fear, I introduced some reporters or forfeit my scoops to avoid being considered as too close to the sources. Sadly, that was how I ended up being viewed with suspicion.
I have on several occasions declined to even interview Shekau, an opportunity any journalist will run for, but as someone who was nearly summarily executed and arrested several times for my reports, I always turned down. Yes, I reported, I started with my career trajectory before the Boko Haram story broke.
Sir, is having access to sources in Boko Haram for the use of writing reports unethical?
It is not only ethical, it is also praiseworthy. So long as your access is not a consequence of your membership of the group, it is ethical. Then there is nothing even remotely unethical about your access to the group. You should be commended, not threatened.
Iโve come under threats to betray my sources, even when I made it clear it wonโt end the war, what can you say?
Good, ethical journalists protect the confidentiality of their sources.Theyโd rather go to jail than reveal their sources.
My interest is only (with emphasis) to report as accurately as possible, nothing more. Why I am I singled out for attacks and not my editors or publishers for my exclusive reports?
I wouldnโt know. Perhaps itโs because the exclusive access to Boko Haram is limited to you.
Is telling two sides to a story in a war unethical in journalism? If itโs ok, why the lack of interest?
Journalists have an obligation to reflect all the sides of a story, not just two sides. But there is always a clash between the needs of govt/security agencies and the publicโs need to know.
I stayed on the story, I built a network of sources without betraying my sources, itโs difficult for anyone to beat me on this.
I can go to Sambisa now to interview Shekau at my own risk, is this a journalistic feat or a crime? I have also been contacted to negotiate in the past by the government, is this part of a reporterโs social responsibility?
That is commendable. It is not a crime. It is commendable journalistic bravado.
Iโve predicted nearly everything right, like female suicide bombers in April 2012, but why do I get scorn even by journalists? Journalists have slandered me far more than security agents. It was a journo that wrote a petition against my residency in exile. Is it fair enough that I hardly collaborate with journalists in reporting Boko Haram because of this?
It is not โ in the traditional sense of a journalistโs duties, but in the norms of conflict-sensitive reporting, it may be. Maybe, professional jealousy? It is natural to harbour suspicions of your colleagues if youโve been a victim of their vicious professional jealousy. But in the interest of the reading public โ and of journalism itself โ it would help to ignore them.
What is the red line for a journalist with professional access to a terror group?
We need peace in Nigeria, and if it would take your intervention to bring this about, why not?
Iโve tried to stick to verifiable claims, reason I have many materials I obtained, but never (with emphasis) published.
Donโt propagate their willful propaganda that you know to be false. Donโt join them. Thatโs commendable. Itโs a cardinal ethical principle in journalism that we not report on what weโve not verified. Be faithful to the facts, let accuracy and verifiability be your watchwords, report all sides to a conflict avoid perpetrating stereotypes, reach out to be people who want to bring about peace, not just the war mongers. Remember that your reporting can make or break the nation, so be sensitive to what you report on.
You were once a reporter, editor and now teacher of journalism, what is your advice to me and others reporting conflicts?
I facilitated a British Council-sponsored workshop on conflict sensitive reporting for Nigerian journalists late last year. I will be glad to share resources with people who want to learn more about conflict sensitive reporting.
Honoured for the chance to ask you these questions. Your advice has been taken. You have inspired me greatly, sir!
It is my pleasure. Best wishes.
