…as
suspected terrorist found dead
Two weeks after troops were deployed to flush out terrorists from Adamawa,
Borno and Yobe states following declaration of state of emergency in the three
states, Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, in a video published, Tuesday,
called on Islamists in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq to join the fight to
create an Islamic state in Nigeria.

“We call on our brethren in these countries I mentioned. Oh! Our brethren,
come to us,” he said in the video, which alternates between Arabic and Hausa
language.

However, earlier this month, Afghan President, Hamid Karzai
advised Boko Haram insurgents to sheathe their swords.

Karzai, during the presentation of letters of credence to him by
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Dauda Danladi, called on the Boko Haram
members to lay down their arms if they are true Muslims and embrace amnesty
offered by the Federal Government noting that no religion preaches violence.

“Boko Haram
should stop burning schools, Mosques, Churches in the name of Islam. You should
not destroy your country if you are true Muslims. You should protect lives
because in Islam if you kill one, it is as if you have killed the whole of
humanity and if you save life, it is as if you have saved the whole of
humanity”.

Abubakar Shekau stated that his group has scored several victories
against the Nigerian military in Borno State during an ongoing offensive,
admitted, however, that his group sustained little damage.

According to him, “Since we started this ongoing war which they
call state of emergency, in some instances soldiers who faced us turned and
ran. Nigerian forces threw down their arms in flight” .

Suspected terrorist found dead
Meanwhile, a terrorist believed to be one of the close associates and confidant
of Boko Haram insurgents’ leader, Abubakar Shekau has been found dead as he ran
errand for the leadership.

Two other fellow terrorists one of whom was confirmed to be a
Nigerien are now in the custody of the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Defence spokesman, Brig. General Chris Olukolade said the three
terrorists were in the process of crossing the border to neighbouring Niger
Republic through the Lake Chad when they were arrested

According to Olukolade, the three have been confirmed to have
operated in Baga and participated in perpetrating arson and other atrocities
around the vicinity of the town and have been relocating from place to place
since they left Baga last month.

“Meanwhile, more troops of the Police Mobile Force have joined the
operations as more towns are being secured in the operations to rid the
nation’s territories of terrorist activities,” the DDI said.