Boko Haram Leader Shekau Claims Responsibility for Schoolgirls' Abduction

The Boko Haram sect of insurgents have claimed responsibility for abducting hundreds of young females aged 16-18 years.

Abubakar Shekau
In a 57-minutes-long video obtained by Agence France-Presse, the leader of the group Abubakar Shekau appears dressed in a military uniform and speaks while standing in front of an armoured personnel carrier and two pickup lorries mounted with submachine guns. Six armed men stand beside him with their faces covered.
Shekau addresses the viewers in the Hausa, Arabic and English languages.
For the first 14 minutes, he criticizes democracy, Western education, efforts for Muslims and Christians to live in peace and condemns Islam non-believers. Further, he says he could marry a 9 or a 12-year-old girl.

"I abducted a girl at a Western education school, and you are disturbed," he says. "I said, Western education should end. Girls, you should go and get married."

He says, "I abducted your girls" and vows to "sell them in the market, by Allah". According to Sahara Reporters, Shekau promised more similar episodes in the nearest future. He also claimed they are holding the girls "as slaves".
He referred to the 276 female students abducted from their school in Chibok town, Borno State. About 200 of the girls still remain in the sect's captivity since their abduction on April 14.
The development and many confusions that trace it have led to a series of mass protests throughout Nigeria and a growing scrutiny and concern from the international society.


Addressing the abduction in Presidential media chat on Sunday, President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to put all efforts to rescuing the girls. He, however, disclosed that the military had not been able to locate the girls' whereabout. He has approached the United States, France, Britain, China and other countries asking for assistance on security issues.

Earlier in April, Shekau had released a video where he claimed responsibility for one more tragedy that happened on April 14 - bomb explosion in Nyanya, Abuja's suburb. He described the blast that left about 80 people dead and hundreds injured as a "tiny incident" and threatened more attacks.
In a similar development, Mrs. Naomi Mutah Nyadar, the leader of the #BringOurGirlsBack movement, was arrested this morning apparently following the orders of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

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