In new video, Shekau threatens Abuja with ‘mother of all attacks’

Abubakar Shekau, factional leader of Boko Haram has resurfaced in a new video, where he vowed to fight Nigeria and the world. Speaking in Hausa and Arabic, Shekau said he has no intention of waging war against Muslims, and threatened to carry out the “mother of all attacks” on Abuja, capital of Nigeria.

Shekau also expressed loyalty to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Boko Haram affiliate, ISIS, but insisted that he would never recognise Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, as leader of Boko Haram.

Al-Barnawi’s appointment was made known by the latest issue of an ISIS-owned magazine, but Shekau vehemently rejected the development, saying ISIS deceived him because he opposed their principles.

In the new video, Shekau said the Al-Barnawi group is only seeking to “create division” among Boko Haram.

“I, Abubakar Ash-Shakawy (Shekau), the leader of Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, made it a duty for myself to fight Nigeria and the whole world. We have no desire to fight our Muslim brethren. I’m alive by the permission of Allah. “Let the government of Nigeria and West Africa not celebrate or gloat over the division between us and our brothers….We will shock them with attacks never seen before, in no-distant time.

“They [the Abu Musab group] do nothing but to create division among our people without an iota of contribution to the jihad. “This is time to fight; it is the time of jihad. We are not killing fellow Muslims. We are not calling Muslims non-believers. We fight and kill those who God has ordered to be fought, those we call non-believers are people so called by God.”

The video, which was released on Monday, marks Shekau’s first appearance since March 2016.