We Are Ready For MEND - Boko Haram
SAN FRANCISCO, July 18, (THEWILL) - An adherent of late Mallam Muhammad Yusuf, the slain leader of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad" also popularly called Boko Haram, Mallam Ali Teshako has challenged the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to come out and take on the Islamic sect if it really feels up to the task.
Teshako who spoke to THEWILL via telephone over the weekend said, “Tell MEND that we are ready for them at anytime. We attacked the Police headquarters in Abuja. We also carried out many attacks on security operatives but we did so in defense of our integrity and religion.” He added that Boko Haram is not afraid of MEND in anyway.
“If MEND feels that they are getting government’s assistance and other forms of support including warfare trainings abroad, we do not have such backings but we are equal to the task,” Teshako boasted.
The aide of the late Muhammad Yusuf explained that some of the attacks, including some bombings that are going on around the country are not the hand work of Boko Haram but that of armed robbers and hoodlums.
“Even Mallam Muhammad and myself were once attacked by a gang of armed robbers,” he pointed out.
Teshako, a Tiv by tribe said Boko Haram does not have anything against Christians and Christianity.
“My parents are still Christians. The level of insecurity in the country is not as a result of anything but the mistakes of the authorities who are unjust to many Nigerians,” Teshako explained.
“When violence broke out was it only Christians that suffered casualties? No. Christians were killed, so also were Muslims. Were all those mallams that were killed Christians? Were all those other Muslims that were killed Christians? No. So this whole issue is about the mistake of the government.”
According to Teshako, who said he was speaking on behalf of Boko Haram, the current governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima promised during his electioneering campaign that he would engage the Islamic sect in dialogue but as soon as he was sworn-in he went and procured Anti-Personnel Carriers (APCs) which he donated to the police.
Drawing inference from Qur’anic teachings that forbade a Muslim from attacking any other person or group without provocation, Mallam Teshako said Boko Haram has been severally engaged by government forces without it doing anything to warrant such attack.
“Islam teaches that if you reach a truce with your challenger you should uphold it unless you are provoked. It is Borno State government that went back on its pledge. Should we wait for them to slay us all?” he added.
Efforts to get a reaction from the spokesperson of the State Security Service, Mrs. Marilyn Ogar was not successful as her telephone rang several times without a response.
The radical Islamic sect has been credited with several bombings which has resulted in the death of more than 100 persons in the north especially in Borno State.