– Threatens to Kill Government Security Spokesman in the North
BLOODTHIRSTY Islamic militant sect, Boko Haram, said on Monday that it would only release the family of French hostages in its custody if the Nigerian government granted similar reprieve to its members who have been apprehended and detained for terrorism by the government.
The group made the demand in a video statement it released on Monday, saying that it has no immediate intention of releasing the French hostages who were captured in neighboring Niger two weeks ago, where the family was on a tourist vacation in the country.
The video of the Boko Haram statement featured its leader, Abubakar Shekau, flanked by a bunch of hooded, armed Islamists, who also expressed threats about killing the spokesman of the governments Join Task Force installed in the north east region to combat the bloody menace of the organization.
It accused the spokesman, Lieutenant-General Musa Sagir, of deliberately putting out false reports about the activities of Boko Haram for the media and the public, especially with regards the sect’s recent attack on the Monguno Military Baracks in Borno State.
Speaking both in Arabic and Hausa, Mr. Shekau also warned the media to avoid unknown groups claiming to be Boko Haram, mentioning in particular one member he identified as Abu Zinnira as the new spokesperson of the criminal, mass-murdering organization he heads.
The full, rambling remarks of Shekau are reproduced below:
“I, Abu-Muhammad ibn Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Jamaatul Ahili Sunna li Dawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, is hereby passing across this message with the aim of enlightening the world on the issue of religion of Allah and how important it is to us. Anybody that is found standing against our religion should know that it is not a difficult task for us to die defending it. That is the pronouncement from me in my capacity as Leader.
‘We have a mission of establishing Sharia in this country and the rest of the world. We are the ones holding hostage the seven French nationals. We are holding them in custody because the leaders of Cameroon and Nigeria have also detained our brethren both women and children under dehumanising condition. It is against every rules of engagement to hold women and children as prisoners of war.
‘Our message to the world is that these seven French will not be released until when we see our detained brethren released.
“Oh you French leaders it would be difficult for your to secure release of these hostages until we see our brethren walk in freedom.
And if you make mistakes of securing their release by force, then we shall fight you back with the might of Allah.
‘Secondly, all those that are speaking on our behalf without our authority, thinking that by that they would satisfy their earthly needs, should understand that they would not gain anything beneficial from it here on earth in the hereafter, if they fail to go back to God and their religion.
‘I also call on all media practitioners especially those airing or publishing anything that comes to them concerning us, you should know that we are not perturbed by your publications, and we have nothing against you. But our caveat is any message that comes to you journalists that is not directly from us, don’t ever ascribe such to our name. You are free to publish anything but don’t credit us with what we have not said. Our new spokesman is Abu Zinnira, and if our message does not come to you through him, then it is not from us. If it is not from Abu Zinnira then it is not from us; I repeat, if it is not from Abu Zinnira, it is certainly not from us. If I have to talk directly, all journalists conversant with me knows my voice even without introduction.
We are saying this because one elements are going about faking to be us, but the can never be us because we have come a long way in our mission.
‘We have also been hearing of one Lt Colonel Sagir Musa, one President (Goodluck) Jonathan saying they would not dialogue with us. That is not our focus. Our focus is on the Owner of Heavens and Earth. He is our guiding leader, His religion is what we practice, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) is what we are complying with. Anyone who wages war against our religion would be fought back fiercely and such a person will not even have the chance of knowing when we would bring our fight to him. And if your goal is to kill us, we welcome it. But you will not know your mistakes until you are done. We pray you kill us on the path of religious struggle so that we can enjoy the mercies of Allah.
‘To the little brat called Lt Col Sagir we heard of your claims that your troops, JTF, had ambushed our men on the way to Monguno, killed several of our men and even retrieve four of our vehicles. These are all lies unbecoming of a soldier. It is a shame.
‘The fact is our members went to Monguno and easily invaded the army barracks, killed unknown number of soldiers, we packed unknown quantum of arms and ammunition which was filled in two trucks, we burnt down the excess from the armoury. They left with gallantry chanting Allahu Akbar. Here are the arms in display. We have 15 Browning rifles in our armoury now, all from Monguno barracks.
‘The arms we have is enough for us to bring down the entire Borno state. None of our members died as claimed by soldiers except for three persons. But the soldiers we killed in Monguno barracks. But Sagir Musa should continue to deceive the world, one day he would fall in our trap and we will deal with him, since we have his photograph with us. We know all your movement around Maiduguri in a small car. You have no place to hide from us, except you leave Maiduguri town. You shall see, and you shall see’.