That claim is empty – Military
Disturbing but they won’t win – Shettima
By Abubakar Sadiq, Maiduguri
and Jibrin Baba Ndace, Abuja
Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, said his sect has created an Islamic caliphate in Gwoza town, in Borno state, with effect from yesterday.
He made the declaration in a 52-minute video released yesterday.
The town has been held hostage by the insurgents since early this month.
Shekau said in the video: “Thanks be to Allah who gave victory to our brethren in Gwoza and made it part of the Islamic Caliphate.”
He declared that Gwoza, in Borno state, now has “nothing to do with Nigeria.”
Boko Haram is blamed for more than 10,000 deaths since 2009, throughout an insurgency aimed at creating a strict Islamic state in the north.
The crisis has intensified in recent months.
Boko Haram is believed to be in control of large swathes of territory in Borno, its historic stronghold, as well as at least one town in neighbouring Yobe state.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has responded to Shekau’s claim that his insurgents have placed Gwoza under an Islamic caliphate. In a tweet on its Twitter handle, the Defence Headquarters stated: “That claim is empty. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state is still intact. Any group of terrorists laying claim to any portion of the country will not be allowed to get away with that expression of delusion and crime. Appropriate military operations to secure that area from the activities of the bandits is still ongoing.”
In a written response to reporters’ enquiry over the insurgents’ declaration, Borno state Governor Kashim Shettima said: “With very due respect, I cannot comment on the authenticity or otherwise of that video in question, I will leave that to security experts.
“I also cannot disclose measures being adopted by security agencies on whatever development in Gwoza or any part of Borno state but I can assure the good people of Borno state and other members of the public that the state government is actively in touch and supporting security agencies deployed to Borno state in the counter-insurgency efforts and, insha Allah, the combined efforts will not be in vain.
“We are not just studying the situation with collaborative tact and urgency but indeed, appropriate measures are being taken by the right authorities.
“For now, I urge the good people of Borno state to remain calm and resolute in their support for security agencies, abiding fate and prayers. The security agencies, I am sure, are in position to analyse the content of the said new video, compare with the facts on ground in Gwoza and brief the Nigerian public as they deem professionally appropriate bearing in mind the National interest and patriotism as well as the overall safety of citizens.
“Let me use this opportunity to while thanking members of the Nigerian and international media for their firm support for Borno people and its government since this insurgency crisis in 2009, make a strong appeal that we do not dramatise and sensationalise issues such as the one connected with Gwoza, so that we all do not fall for the objective of insurgents, which is to, at all times, claim victory over our sovereign state, our rights to existence, our freedom and our liberty, as it is always their goal to create so much panic that would make anyone who doesn’t share their ideology feel unsafe and defeated.
“Even as those of us in the media work tirelessly to disseminate information in the discharge of important duties that aim to protect the fundamental rights of the public to know happenings within and around them, we must at this moment, more than ever before, do our jobs with patriotic support for our country and its security forces as well as our passion for humanity as against those that seek to send humanity into extinction.
“As disturbing as what is said to be the development is, I remain very optimistic that victory will never go the way of those that violently stand between fellow human beings and their devine rights to exist as God’s creatures on earth.”
