Ahmad Salkida, the Nigerian journalist taken into custody on Monday, weeks after being declared wanted by the army, has been denied access to his lawyer, Femi Falana, who is representing him told PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr. Salkida, known for his knowledge of the ranks of the extremist sect, Boko Haram, was arrested at the Abuja airport as he arrived from his United Arab Emirate base.
The army had declared him wanted, alongside two others, for suspected links with Boko Haram. The decision came after Mr. Salkida distributed a video released by the group in August.
Mr. Salkida expressed his willingness to turn himself in, and security analysts said he fulfilled that promise by flying into the country on Monday.
Mr. Falana, his lawyer, said on Tuesday that authorities had denied him access to Mr. Salkida. The journalist is believed to be held at a State Security Service facility in Abuja.
Mr. Falana said he had “been briefed as Mr. Salkida’s counsel”, but that he was “still trying to have access to him”.
He said his chamber had dispatched another lawyer in Abuja to see if they could have access to Mr. Salkida, and to know “how to proceed from here”.
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