Nyanya bombing: Boko Haram claims responsibility

Leader of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday released a new video in which he claimed responsibility for last Monday’s blast at a busy motor park in Nyanya, near Abuja which killed 75 people and injured many others.

In the 28- minute video, Shekau said the heinous suicide bombing mission was to avenge the killing of hundreds of Muslims around the world by those he called “unbelievers”.

Shekau said the killing of Muslims is continuing because of what he called “deliberate silence of the so-called world leaders.”

He spoke in Arabic and Hausa languages, claiming that he and many of his ‘warriors’ had infiltrated Abuja with a view to perpetrating constant attacks on people and symbols of authority.

Shekau, who was dressed in military uniform, wore a turban, and hung an Ak47 rifle on his left shoulder, described the United Nations as “a forum of evil” and castigated Ban Ki-Moon, President Barrack Obama, Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin, whom he said do not have the capacity to support President Goodluck Jonathan to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

According to him, “We are the ones who carried out the bombing in Abuja in an area called Nyanya. (President) Jonathan you are a lame duck. Jonathan, you are too small for us, let’s address your masters like Obama...they are nothing,” he said.

The Boko Haram leader added: “We did it because you killed Muslims in Plateau. You killed Muslims in every country of the world. Why don’t you global tyrants talk when Muslims are killed in Afghanistan? Why don’t you talk when Muslims were killed in Iraq? And they are still being killed.

“Why don’t you talk when Muslims are killed in the Islamic state of Iraq and Syria, and now Yemen, Mali, Azerbaijan, Shishan, Pakistan?

“And today, just because something small has happened in Abuja, the whole world is making so much noise. This is just the beginning of what is to come. We are in your city (Abuja). It’s just that you don’t know where we are. We are in your city but you don’t know where we are (referring to Jonathan).

“Let me be blunt, I’m in your city, near you. Find me! Remember, it is now five years since you said you would crush us in three months. It is now five years. And is it now that you are going to finish us?

“We did it. We did it. This is Shekau, the leader of Jama’atu Ahlissunah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad,” he said.

The video could not be independently verified. But some people, who watched it, described the claim of protecting Muslims as not true.