Bring Back Our Arrested Warriors Or No #BringBackOurGirls, Shekau Tells FG In New Video

Leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday, in a new video clip obtained by AFP and seen by our correspondent, vowed to hold on to the Chibok schoolgirls in captivity until the federal government frees his men currently in various detention facilities across the country.

Shekau, who appeared in the 15-minute-long video fully kitted in military fatigue with a black band wrapped around his head and an AK 47 rifle slinged across his bulletproof-covered chest and surrounded by a handful of armed fighters in masks, read his message from a spiral bound document.

Delivering his message in Arabic, Hausa, unflattering English and a bit of his native language, Kanuri, the terror kingpin, who stood in front of an imposing military armored tank and other ones apparently seized during his numerous raids on military formations, appeared happy and confident as he often interjected his message with cynic leers, song and even attempted some dance steps.

Shekau said his group was responsible for the bombing in the nation’s capital, which he called ‘filthy’, Kano, Jos, Konduga (Borno State) and the recent explosion in Lagos, which he said was carried out by a female suicide bomber but according to him, was attributed to a fire accident by Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

Shekau, who heads an organization that was recently reported to be worth about $70 million, revealed that he personally led last Sunday’s attack on a military formation in Damboa that led to the death of several soldiers and policemen, among them a lieutenant-colonel and a divisional police officer (DPO).

Deriding his country of birth, Nigeria, and its constitution, Shekau mentioned some notable terrorist organizations’ leaders in the Middle East, whom he said are his comrades in struggle and jihadist brethren.

Part of his message reads: “Nigerians are saying that BringBackOurGirls, and we are telling Jonathan to bring back our arrested warriors, our army (laughing). The Miyetti Allah too is talking. Let them bring back our own soldiers or no BringBackOurGirls”.

(Speaking in faulty English and ostensibly to President Goodluck Jonathan), he continued: “Tell me who you are; I am reading the Quran, and you are reading the constitution; I am reading the rules and regulations of the Quran, and you are doing that of the constitution, the book of Lord Lugard, the book of Tafawa Balewa.

“We have recovered several arms from the Damboa military base attack including armored tanks and Kalashnikov rifles. (Pointing at the stolen arms) Look at what God has given us free of charge; we filled our vans with ammunition like sands. This is what is called religion and worship. (singing) I am a trouble to the people of the west, Nigerians and a good news to the believers)”.

The video ended with the terrorist raising an AK-47 rifle with one hand and firing shots into the air severally using the rapid action mode.

There has been no official reaction from the security agencies to the latest video by Boko Haram, whose present leader, they claim is an impostor as the real Abubakar Shekau has died from gun battle wounds.