Army declares journalist, 3 persons wanted over missing girls

The Nigerian Army on Sunday declared three persons, including a woman, wanted allegedly in connection with the over 200 Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram since 2014.

They are Ahmad Salkida, (Ambassador) Ahmed U. Bolori and Aisha Wakil.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Director Army Public Relations,Col. Sani Usman, the wanted persons have information on the conditions and the exact location of those girls.‬

"Therefore, the Nigerian Army hereby declares the two gentlemen and the lady wanted for interrogation.

"We are relying on the relevant laws of the land, and in particular the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 (as amended) where Nigerians could be punished for failure to disclose information about terrorists or terrorists" activities.

‪"This becomes necessary as a result of their link with the last two videos released by Boko Haram Terrorists and other findings of our preliminary investigations.

"There is no doubt that these individuals have links with Boko Haram Terrorists and have contacts with them.

"They must therefore come forward and tell us where the group is keeping the Chibok Girls and other abducted persons to enable us rescue them," Usman said.

"We are also liaising with other security agencies for their arrest if they fail to turn up," he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, earlier on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the Federal Government was doing everything possible to secure the release of the Chibok girls and put an end to the horrible saga of their abduction.

Mohammed said this in a statement issued by Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the Minister.

The minister, who was reacting to the latest video of some of the girls, said that the government was in touch with those purportedly behind the video.

''We are on top of the situation. But we are being extremely careful because the situation has been compounded by the split in the leadership of Boko Haram.

"We are also being guided by the need to ensure the safety of the girls.

''Since this is not the first time we have been contacted over the issue, we want to be doubly sure that those we are in touch with are who they claim to be,'' he said.

Mohammed expressed the hope that the latest development will signal the beginning of the end of the nightmare to which the girls, their families and indeed all Nigerians have been subjected since the unfortunate abduction.