We did it, Sokoto is next –Boko Haram Sect

Posted by admin Boko Haram, Headlines, Sokoto, State News Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

From TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri

The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnati Lidda’awati Wal Jihad otherwise known as Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the series of attacks in Kaduna, Kano and Maiduguri this week, including the bombing of Air force base in Kaduna, warning that more attacks were underway.
It gave the indication that Sokoto may be the next target.
“We did it. We are responsible for today’s (Tuesday) attacks on the military base and other places. We did it to teach the government a lesson because they deceived us to believe in their dialogue proposal, yet they kept arresting our members and refused to release them.

We will continue to attack government and security agencies as long as they refuse to release our members in various cells and prisons,” the man who claimed to be Abu Qaqa told journalists yesterday in Maiduguri. He has been speaking on behalf of the sect since the arrest of the former spokesman, whom he insisted was Abu Dardaa and not Qaqa.

He also said the sect was responsible for the Kano and Maiduguri attacks. He disclosed that the sect targeted soldiers around the Gamboru Market in Maiduguri on Monday and not shops, alleging that the military was responsible for burning the market.

“We sympathize with traders and shop owners and we wish to inform them that we were not responsible for the burning of the market. We went there to kill soldiers and we have finished our operation and left the place only to hear that the market was on fire,” he maintained.

Boko Haram said its membership and network were large, adding that no amount of intimidation and interrogation of the arrested member in SSS custody could unravel its operation. He said some of its members were field soldiers, while some were just recruited for specific assignment, adding, that accounted for why the parents of the 11 killed by the JTF in Maiduguri two weeks ago did not know the relationship between them and the Islamic sect.

But the sect denied any link with the purported splinter group even as he maintained there was no division in the sect. “We remained united, focus and determined to pursue our course,” he said. He said they would continue to attack any security formation where their member(s) was or were held.
Also clarifying the threat it issued last December on southern Christians residing in the north to return to their states, Qaqa stated that its warning was misunderstood. He said rather, the sect considered all Christians as enemies.”

“Our focus is greater than the sectional thing people are talking about. As far as we are concerned, every Christian whether in Borno, Sokoto, Lagos or any where is our enemy and a target but a Muslim anywhere even if he resides in Onitsha is our own,” he added.
On inclusion of regional demands and the sect grievances in the recommendation which could come up if a Sovereign National Conference is convened, Abu Qaqa said the group does not accept any system or document other than what was prescribed by Islamic. “Constitution or whatever conference is not Islamic and we are not bound by such proposal,” the sect maintained.

-Sunwp_posts