Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, ISWAP have mended fences and jointly picked a new leader, called Aba Ibrahim Al-Hashimiyil AlKhuraishi.
PRNigeria referencing a 13 minute video just released by the terrorists said the terrorists belonging to the rival extremist groups reunited, by placing their hands atop one another.
They also chanted words of solidarity, to demonstrate their unity
and togetherness.
They thereafter pledged their allegiance to one Aba Ibrahim Al-Hashimiyil AlKhuraishi, whom they unanimously ordained as ‘Khalifan Muslimai’, translated as “The Leader of all Muslims”.
Four insurgents, drawn from the defunct Boko Haram and ISWAP sects, in the clip, were seen pledging their loyalty to the new Commander while speaking in Arabic, Hausa, English and Fulfulde, PR Nigeria reported.
One of the speakers confirmed the report that intelligence services played critical roles in creating divisions in the camps of the terrorists when he claimed that, “the enemies succeeded in dividing us, but we are now back.”
In the video, the unidentified terrorist element who first spoke, extended his greeting to the new Leader, Khuraishi, thanking him for bringing them together, eventually.
Pledging his loyalty, he said every member of Boko Haram and ISWAP should be happy that they are now united.
Another terrorist, while speaking in Hausa, ‘warmly’ greeted Al-Hashimiyil Khuraishi, assuring that he and his colleague-insurgents will not flout his orders and commandments.
He expressed delight that they are now back as one ‘indivisible entity’, after the mutual hatred that hitherto divided them, gave way.
Another ISWAP fighter, who was wielding a sophisticated gun hung on his neck, thundered: ” What is left now is Jihad. We will not stop fighting the unbelievers.
“All the disbelievers have entered trouble.”
According to the daredevil terrorist, every Boko Haram and ISWAP member must be ready to fight under the directive of their new Leader, for them to survive, and succeed.
The video was silent on the fate of 24 year-old, Bakura Sahaba Modu, who was announced last week by Boko Haram as successor to Abubakar Shekau.
It also did not mention the fate of Al Barnawi, son of Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf. Al Barnawi heads ISWAP.
If anything, the video may be signs of further factionalisation among the terrorists, who have waged insurgency war against Nigeria and its neighbours since 2009.
On 25 June, a video was also in circulation showing Boko Haram fighters pledging allegiance to ISWAP.
Boko Watch tweeted: New ISWAP video–presumably including former Boko Haram/Shekau faction fighters–making pledges to ISIS. This is the 1st ISWAP formal video in over a year. Along w ISIS’ spokesman’s comments on ex-Shekau fighters’ integration to ISWAP, the vid shows ISIS thinks this is important
