The Boko Haram terrorist group says it is responsible for last Friday’s abduction of over 300 students from Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State.
It also says it is yet to speak on the conditions for their release, contrary to reports.
The terror group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, said this in a four minutes twenty eight seconds recording, released in the early hours of Tuesday.
Shekau said, “What happened in Katsina was done to promote Islam and discourage un-Islamic practices, as western education is not the type of education permitted by Allah and his Holy Prophet.
In the audio recorded in the Hausa language, Sheka’u attacked western education, saying it is against Islam.
“They are also not teaching what Allah and his Holy Prophet commanded.
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They are rather destroying Islam.
It may be subtle, but Allah the Lord of the skies and earths knows whatever is hidden.
May Allah promote Islam. May we die as Muslims.”
Confirming responsibility for the abduction, he added, “we are behind what happened in Katsina,” before signing off the statement by confirming himself as Shekau, leader of the Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad.
Boko Haram’s announcement makes the abduction of the students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, the group’s first major operation in Nigeria’s North West.
In the past, the insurgents’ attacks in the region were often limited to ambushes of security operatives and small-scale kidnappings for ransom.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
