BH Released Video: Shekau Preaches to Residents of Captured Town

Boko Haram sect who recently captured and renamed some towns like Mubi, Gwaza and others in Adamawa and Borno State has just released a video yesterday Sunday. In the video the sect was seen parading on armored tanks in an unnamed town, with the leader, shekau himself preaching to the residents.

This is the height of confidence on the part of Boko Haram. FG should please do more.

Below is how Punch is reporting it.

The Boko Haram sect on Sunday released a new video which showed the insurgents parading an unnamed captured own on an armoured tank.

The Boko Haram video, obtained by the AFP, also showed the group’s leader Abubakar Shekau preaching to residents of the captured town.

It was not possible to tell whether the footage was staged for propaganda purposes, especially scenes of residents cheering Islamist fighters.

The message appeared to be aimed at reinforcing Shekau’s claim that he has created a caliphate within Nigeria.

In the 44-minute video, AFP reports that Boko Haram voices support for other so-called caliphates, including the one proclaimed in Iraq and Syria by the Islamic State (IS) group.

Shekau, who is pictured in closeup shots with rare clarity, again dismisses government claims about ceasefire talks.

The video, which was delivered through the same channels as past messages, shows armed men lined along a well-paved road, with three pick-up trucks bristling with heavy weapons also visible.

Black, crested flags associated with the Islamist group are also shown.

Later, an armoured vehicle rolls down the road lined with both fighters and individuals who appear to be residents of the town.

Boko Haram has released a series of videos showing similar military hardware, equipment it says was stolen from the Nigerian military. Such claims have been impossible to verify.

No women or girls are seen on the street or anywhere else in the footage.

Most of the message is taken up by a sermon from Shekau, delivered indoors but apparently played on a speaker to locals assembled outside.

“We have indeed established an Islamic caliphate,” he said, restating a claim he first made in August.

The images of the sermon include unusually clear closeups of the Nigerian militant leader.

Shekau has previously expressed solidarity with other jihadist groups and leaders.