KATSINA: Shekau’s video released to boost ego, military will rescue abducted schoolboys, says DHQ

Says Buhari safe in Daura

THE Defence Headquarters, today, said the video from the factional leader of the Boko Haram terrorists, Abubakar Shekau, was released to massage his ego and instill fear in people.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, stated this while featuring on Arise TV’s programme ‘The Morning Show’ monitored by Naija Times yesterday.

He noted that Shekau has become a brand, adding that anybody could lay claim to the name.

Shekau, in a recording on Tuesday, had claimed responsibility for the abduction of the Kankara schoolboys.adding that it was executed to discourage people from obtaining western education.

Enenche, while dismissing reports that terrorist group, Boko Haram, was responsible for the Kankara abduction, said, “On the basis of the characteristics of terrorists all over the world from the time of Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Al-Shabaab, all of them, wherever they will boost their ego or show relevance, that is what they will do.

“What did they even do? Somebody spoke on audio and said, ‘I am Shekau.’ Shekau on a secondary note is a brand. All that needs to be done is somebody using his voice. The total aim of terrorists is to instill fear into people even beyond their scope of influence.

“So, it is easy for the layman to agree that it is them (Boko Haram) because even if it is kidnappers or armed robbers, their aim is to instill fear and kill.”
Enenche also assured Nigerians of the safety of President Buhari in Katsina.

He said, “One of the major tasks of the Armed Force of Nigeria is to ensure the protection of government and state actors and in that regard, the Commander-In-Chief is very safe in Katsina and anywhere that he is or will be at all times.”

He, however, appealed to the parents of the abducted students to “have short patience” with the military forces. “With what the military is doing, by the grace of Almighty God, very soon, the children will be back,” he said.

Bandits had taken the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, by storm on Friday night and abducted over 300 schoolboys after a gun duel with the police.

The incident happened hours after Buhari arrived in the state for a week-long private visit.