Nigerian journalist threatened over Boko Haram
New York, 20 Mar – (ANA) - A Nigerian journalist who has extensively covered the conflict between the government and Islamist sect Boko Haram says his life is under threat. Ahmad Salkida, an independent journalist, told CPJ that he noticed a white 4X4 Hilux with a Lagos state registration number following him on Thursday for several hours, including to his house in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. He said he has also received phone threats from anonymous callers in the past few days that he believes are coming from government security agents in connection with his contacts with Boko Haram. “They said I am a Boko Haram member, that me and them are not supposed to exist. That they know where I live and they will visit me,” Salkida told CPJ. Last week, various media reported that the Nigerian government and Boko Haram militants have been engaged in secret, mediated negotiations. Since that news was reported, Salkida told CPJ, he has received several threatening calls from concealed numbers accusing him of being the instigator of the talks. “They said that as far as they are concerned, they will never allow anything like negotiation. They said they have it on authority that I am the link to the negotiation process. That I should desist; otherwise they’ll descend on me,” Salkida told CPJ. (ANA)

FA/ANA/20 April 2012-----------