The Digest:
Boko Haram terrorists have claimed responsibility for Wednesday's deadly attack on a military base in Ngoshe, Gwoza LGA of Borno State, vowing to hold Eid-el-fitr prayers at the town's central mosque which they have taken over. In a video reviewed by Daily Trust, five young men identifying as members of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad under Imam Ubu Umaima boasted of killing soldiers and civilians, including the chief imam and community elders. The leader declared: "We have already conquered the town and by the grace of God, we are going to stay in Ngoshe and change its name to a caliphate." He threatened to extend the fight from Ngoshe to Maiduguri and Abuja, claiming captured women and children are now "legal property." Daily Trust earlier reported that hundreds of residents were abducted and military equipment destroyed in the attack that occurred after Muslims broke their fast.
Key Points
- The video confirms Boko Haram's control of Ngoshe, three days after the attack.
- The threat to extend operations to Maiduguri and Abuja signals escalating ambition.
- The takeover of the central mosque and plan for Eid prayers there is a symbolic victory claim.
- References to "legal property" and slavery indicate brutal treatment of abducted civilians.
- The claim of beheading soldiers underscores the violence of the attack.
Sources: Daily Trust, Terrorist Video
