Boko Haram leader threatens to attack JTF, journalists for “telling lies”

Ibn Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram
sect, has threatened to deal with spokesman of the
JTF in Borno State, Lt Col Sagir Musa and journalists,
for telling lies against the islamist sect.
The group also named Abu Zinnira as its new
spokesman and insisted they will not release the
seven French hostages in their custody, until their
wives and children being detained in Cameroon, by
French and Cameroonian authorities are set free.
Here is an excerpt of the broadcast:
“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. Any body 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 with 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 they 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 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
practise, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad
(S.A.W) is what we are complying with. Any one
who wages war with 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 the 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”.