Stories by Vivian Okejeme
Abuja
A human rights group, the Incorporated Trustees of Overt Legacy and Human Development Initiative, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris and the Director-General, Department of State Service, Mohammed Daura, to arrest and prosecute a journalist, Ahmad Salkida alongside his Boko Haram counterparts for threatening to bomb the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and other cities.
In suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/416/2017 and filed on May 15, 2017, by its lawyer, Tersagh Unande, the group also joined the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN as co-defendant.
The plaintiff is seeking for an order directing both the police and DSS to declare Salkida wanted on twitter, facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms and to submit himself for criminal trial before the court, on the grounds that his whereabouts in forest with Boko Haram terrorists is unknown and inaccessible by any sane person.
In an originating summon pursuant to order 3 rules 6 and 9 of the Federal High Court (Civil procedure) rules 2009, the plaintiff is seeking the Court to determine whether by a true interpretation of sections 1,4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants have not abdicated their duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to investigate, arrest and prosecute the self acclaimed journalist, Ahmad Salkida for committing acts of terrorism to wit; arranging, managing and participating in meetings with Boko Haram terrorists as well as rendering support to Boko Haram terrorist group by distributing terrorist information through twitter, facebook, YouTube and other electronic means.
Going further, the plaintiff also asked the court to determine whether the link established between Salkida and Boko Haram terrorists group and his furthering of their objectives by posting inciting videos of them on twitter, particularly on Friday, 12 May, 2017 as published by an online media, is not reasonable enough to warrant the first and second defendants to investigate, and if found culpable, for the third defendant to jump-start appropriate criminal proceedings against Salkida for attempting to dislodge the government of Nigeria, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013.
In a 28 paragraph affidavit deposed to by Abdulmuqsit Hassan in support of the originating summons, the plaintiff averred that on Friday 12 May, 2017 Salkida in his usual manner tweeted about Boko Haram new video wherein members of the group were threatening to bomb FCT, Abuja and other cities in Nigeria following the release of 82 Chibok Girls to the Federal government of Nigeria.
In addition he said that “Salkida had tweeted that the new Boko Haram video which was made available to his Salkida.com for onward uploading on YouTube featured terrorists commander, Shuaibu Moni, who was recently released in exchange for the 82 Chibok Girls issuing threats to Nigerian authorities and its President.
‘That the plaintiff as a pro-peace organisation became worried knowing that the nature of the threats issued by the Boko Haram group in the video and coordinated by Salkida have overbearing similarities with those hitherto issued, which led to the maiming and killing of over 20,000 innocent Nigerians since 2009.
“That the plaintiff is aggrieved because the defendants have failed in their duties to take proactive steps towards forestalling the likely breakdown of law and order as well as loss of lives of Nigerians.
“That it will be meaningless and fruitless for the defendants to dissipate energy in prosecuting mere suspects of terrorism whereas Journalist Ahmad Salkida being an accomplice of Boko Haram terrorism is allowed to walk freely on the streets recruiting young Nigerians to join the group”.
Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.
