Boko Haram New Leader Vows ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’

By The Source

The new leader of the notorious terror group, Boko Haram, Bakura Modu aka Sahaba has vowed to press ahead with the legacies of death and violence propagated by its late leader, Abubakar Shekau who killed himself to escape being captured by a rival ISWAP group under the leadership of Musab Albanawi.

Modu made the vow on the crest of call by the Nigerian Armed forces to the terrorist to lay down their arms and embrace peace.

The General Officer Commanding, GOC), 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. A.A. Eyitayo, last week, said that the military is not interested in bloodshed so long the terrorists are ready to surrender. But many have quickly rebuffed the General, warning him that the language the terrorists understand is the use of force, that the Army should go ahead and crush them.

General Eytayo said “We are not here for bloodletting, nobody is happy that people are dying. Some of them (Boko Haram insurgents) are listening to the media so it is good for us to appeal to them through the media to shun violence, turn up to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.”

Shekau took his own life after clashes with the IS-ISWAP linked group to escape being captured by the rival group who had been on his trail for many months. The Islamic State allied faction has since taken over Sambisa forest, located in Borno, Nigeria’s North east which was formerly controlled by Shekau –led Boko Haram.

But in spite of the defeat suffered in the hands of ISWAP, and the appeal of its leader Albanawi to surviving Boko Haram commanders to join his group, Modu has appealed to them to remain steadfast, vowing to finish what Shekau started.

In the short video in Arabic, Modu urged his faction’s commanders to remain loyal despite the loss of their historic commander.

The video, provided to AFP by a source close to Boko Haram and confirmed to be Modu by another local source, said the insurgents are not prepared to surrender, that they will fight on, despite suggestion that the death of Shakau has dealt a serious blow to their bloody struggle.  .

The undated Boko Haram video shows Bakura flanked by scores of armed fighters in formation as he addresses the camera, in what is traditionally a jihadist group’s way of presenting a new leader.

Addressing his fighters, Modu said “Commanders of Jama’atu Ahlu Sunna Lidda’awati Wal Jihad. Be steadfast and draw your swords, spreading your jihad, decapitating the enemy,” he said, using the official name of Shekau’s Boko Haram faction also known as JAS.

“Don’t allow what befalls you these days to weaken your resolve on the jihad your are waging, because Allah has not forsaken your efforts.” He urgrd Boko Haram commanders to reject ISWAP commander Barnawi.

There are reports that soon after Shekau’s death last month, ISWAP fighters moved against Boko Haram commanders with the aim of forcing them to surrender to the leadership of Albarnawi, without much success as many of them vowed their loyalty to Modu, the magazine learnt.

More than 40,000 people have been killed and over two million displaced from their homes since Shekau declared a Jihad against the Nigerian government in 2010 following the murder of its demised leader Mohammed Yusuf by security forces.

Shekau gained popularity after kidnapping nearly 300 schoolgirls in 2014, most of whom have either been killed or married out to insurgent commanders.