UPDATE - 'Wanted' Nigerian reporter defends Boko Haram access

UPDATES WITH LATEST BOKO HARAM CLASHES

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) – A Nigerian journalist accused of having links to Boko Haram has said he will book a flight back to the country “in the coming days”, stating he has done nothing wrong.

Nigeria’s army on Sunday said Ahmad Salkida and two peace activists – Ahmed Bolori and Aishah Wakil – were wanted over purported links to Boko Haram, hours after the militants released footage showing dozens of schoolgirls abducted by the rebels in 2014.

The army claims that the three journalists had knowledge of the whereabouts of the schoolgirls Boko Haram abducted.

However, in a statement on Monday, Salkida said: “The army is aware that I am not in Nigeria presently. In the coming days I will seek to get a flight to Abuja and avail myself to the army authorities.”

“Indeed, my return will be hastened if the military sends me a ticket,” Salkida added.

Salkida said he had repeatedly used his privileged access to some Boko Haram commanders to help Nigeria broker an agreement with the militants to free the girls.

“As testimony to the credible and professional values of my access, since May 2015 l have been to Nigeria three times on the invitation of federal government agencies. I made personal sacrifices for the release of our Chibok daughters,” Salkida said.

Both Bolori and Wakil have also declared their readiness to appear before the army over the issue, although they pilloried the military for declaring them wanted without a prior invitation even when their addresses are known to the government.

Later on Monday, army spokesman Sani Usman said in a statement that troops had killed 16 Boko Haram militants on Sunday and injured several others in the northeastern town of Kangarwa after coming under fire. However, a Boko Haram on Monday claimed it had killed "tens of soldiers" in its attack on the troops' position.