Boko Haram insurgents have ordered the remaining people in the occupied Gwoza community of Borno State, North-East Nigeria, have been ordered to leave in their own interest, News Express has been informed.

“They drove everyone out,” a Gwoza native who called from Abuja said. “They said they want to fight the military. As I’m talking to you, my parents have left Gwoza,” the source added.

In yet another demonstration of confidence, Boko Haram has declared Gwoza part of what it called an Islamic caliphate controlled by it.

The group’s leader Abubakar Shekau said in a video released yesterday: “Oh people, I’m here still standing Abubakar Shekau . . . the leader of Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lid Da’awati wal Jihad, in the country called Nigeria. We don’t believe in this name. We call Nigeria by this name because they call her by it.

“We are in Islamic Caliphate. We have nothing to do with Nigeria. The earth we are standing on has an owner. We did not create ourselves. We will certainly obey the owner of the sky above; we will obey the owner of the earth. We will obey our Creator.

“Allah has given us victory in the town of Gwoza; because we are determined to do God’s work. I’m making this speech because of the lies being spread always by the infidel government.”

Shekau in the video also warned the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) not to dare the group. His words: “Vigilante (Civilian JTF), you should back out. Vigilante, you should back out. How can you dress as a woman with headgear and hijab, with brazier to avoid being identified? Common, vigilante! Common, have you forgotten what you did to our brethren?

“You were even asking ‘are you Boko Haram, have you ever carried a gun? Say the truth!’ This was how you killed our brethren. Even those you killed you framed them because you had grudge against them and killed them.

“Vigilante, repercussion is an aspect of one’s action (quoting from the Koran). Vigilante, you should repent. You will never succeed in this way. You will never succeed, by Allah, I swear by Allah. And we will never stop killing you. Allah told us. We will never stop, we don’t pity you. If we pity you we will become infidels. To have pity on you is disbelief.”

After Shekau’s speech, the video shows militant fighters on pick-up trucks firing rocket-propelled grenades and other heavily armed insurgents firing weapons as they walk calmly along the road.

As earlier reported this morning by News Express, the Nigerian military yesterday lambasted Shekau, dismissing his claim that Gwaoza, which the insurgents seized 21 days ago, has been placed under an Islamic caliphate.

In a tweet on its twitter handle, the Defence Headquarters described the claim as empty, vowing: “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state is still intact.

“Any group of terrorists laying claim to any portion of the country will not be allowed to get away with the expression of delusion and crime.

“Appropriate military operations to secure that area from the activities of the bandits is still ongoing.”

•Photo shows Boko Haram leader Shekau and other key insurgents in front of their armoured cars.

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