Days after the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai,
renewed an ultimatum to his men to either capture or kill Boko Haram leader,
Abubakar Shekau, after a 40-day ultimatum failed, the insurgents have issued fresh threats to attack the Nigerian military.
They also threatened to attack towns and cities as
well.
Besides, Boko Haram, in an undated but fresh video, declared
they celebrated Sallah in Sambisa, right after the 40-day ultimatum lapsed.
In July, Buratai ordered his men to capture Shekau within 40
days. The deadline passed without Shekau’s capture. The army chief simply made
the ultimatum open-ended.
In the new video, Shuaibu Moni, one of the Boko Haram
commanders, who was swapped with 82 Chibok girls released in May, taunted the
military and issued threats on behalf of the sect.
“We have observed the Eid-el-Kabir prayers peacefully, with
our brothers, wives and children in Sambisa, under the leadership of
Abu-Muhammad -Ibn-Mahammad Abubakar Shekau.
“We thank Almighty Allah for sparing our lives, to witness
this very wonderful day and good state of health. We want to tell the infidels
of the world, infidels in Nigeria…and Buratai, who gave 40-day ultimatum, to
kill our leader Abubakar Shekau that here, we are celebrating Sallah in
Sambisa.
“I also want them to know that killing Shekau is not the end
of us. With or without Shekau, Boko Haram will remain. They should know we
worship God and Shekau is only leading us on the path of service to the Lord.
“They should know that just as they are giving orders to
their military to invade our camps; we are also waiting for Shekau’s orders to
invade their barracks, towns and cities at any giving time.
“I have said it before and you have seen what I have done. I
am not making empty noise; I guess you know who is talking you; this is ‘Moni.’
You have seen what we did in the university and the city of Maiduguri and other
places.
“We mean everything we are saying, and you should wait we
are coming after you. We will never dialogue with the government.”
Attempts to get the Defence Headquarters’ Director of
Information, Major General John Enenche and spokesman of the Nigerian Army,
Col. Sani Usman were not successful. Calls to Enenche’s mobile line and Usman’s
as well as text messages, were neither returned nor replied.
But, spokesman of the Nigeria Air Force, Air Commodore
Adetokunbo Adesanya dismissed Boko Haram’s new threats.
He said: “NAF bases are well defended; NAF personnel are
well-trained, equipped, motivated and committed to the defence of NAF bases and
other assigned critical points.”
On August 14, 2017, Boko Haram Shekau released a new video
where he taunted President Muhammadu Buhari, former president Goodluck Jonathan
and Buratai.
The video, delivered in Arabic, was released shortly after
the terrorist organisation carried out an attack in the remote Borno State
community of Amarwa.
The group has used suicide bombings, kidnappings and other
unconventional methods to attack innocent civilians, particularly in the states
of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe.
An estimated 20,000 people have been killed by the terrorist
sect while over two million have been displaced.
Also, two months ago, Boko Haram released a video which
showed some women they abducted in June.
In the video, the women pleaded with the Nigerian government
to negotiate with the terrorists for their release.
The women are believed to be among 14 others abducted when
the gunmen ambushed a convoy travelling under military escort along the Biu
road in Borno State.
The 4:35 minutes video footage featured a hooded Boko Haram
member introducing the women. He thereafter asked two of them to deliver their
message to the Nigerian government.
By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and Molly Kilete
