Abu Bakr Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, has warned leaders in West Africa that the Islamic State (Isis) will remain in the region under his charge, like reported by ibtimes.co.uk.
In a video, Shekau delivers two speeches, one a lecture on the Muslim faith and the other aimed against Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. According to SITE Intelligence Group, which released a transcript of the video, Shekau also urges Muslims to rise up for jihad.
Shekau spoke at length and said that Boko Haram is the true defender of the faith.
“We in Jama’at Ahl al-Sunnah Lil Dawa Wal Jihad explain the truth, and we support it, we promote it, and we sacrifice out lives in defending it, Allah permitting, not by our strength, because there is no power or strength except from our Lord,” he says, using the group’s less common name.
He notes that anyone who deviates from tenets of the Salafi movement and Shariah will be lost and “will lose and remain inside his complex or even his simple ignorance”.
Towards the end of his first speech, Shekau promised that Isis will remain in West Africa.
In Shekau’s second speech, he urges Muslims to rise for jihad, a transcript reveals. “Rise! Rise to defend your religion! There is no victory for the religion except through jihad, and there is no jihad without faith,” he said.
Shekau reiterates that Isis will remain in West Africa and calls out several nations by name, including Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Benin. “Die in your rage!” he exclaims. “Our State, the Islamic State will remain, Allah permitting, in West Africa Province”.
He goes on to target Buhari and the “falsehoods” he allegedly promotes. “The things that are published about us by the tyrants or what the tyrants spread throughout their media channels to deter people from the path to Allah, all these are falsehoods and blatant lies.”
The transcript of Shekau’s speeches emerged a day after three suicide bombers detonated explosives near Maiduguri, Nigeria in attacks believed to be the work of Boko Haram.
At least 27 people were killed and at least 83 others were injured in the three attacks, Al Jazeera reported.
