The leader of Boko Haram sect,Abubakar Shekau, has claimed a daring December 20 raid on a military barracks in the restive northeast, in a video obtained by AFP Friday.
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The insurgents stormed the barracks in the town of Bama in a convoy of trucks before sunrise, opened fired on the soldiers inside then torched the compound. Several witnesses said the gunmen kidnapped soldiers as well as women and children.
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"Our fighters stormed the Bama barracks," Shekau said, while seated on a mat and flanked by a group of armed men.
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Shekau has released a series of videos since taking control of the rebel group more than three years ago.
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The latest recorded statement was delivered to AFP through the same channel as previous messages.
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"This is a victory from Allah," said the wanted insurgent leader after claiming to have destroyed "21 armoured tanks" and killed "multitudes" in the raid.
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The military has not released a death toll from the barracks attack and rescue agencies have largely been barred from working in the northeast since a state of emergency was declared in the area in May.
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According to the defence ministry, more than 50 "terrorists" were killed when ground forces backed by fighter jets pursued the fleeing Islamists after the raid.
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Residents told AFP that an unknown number of civilians were killed and four villages destroyed during the military response.
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Shekau has been declared a global terrorist by the United States, which put a $7 million (5.1 million euros) bounty on his head. Nigeria has separately offered 50 million naira ($300,000) for information leading to his capture or death.
Disasters is their own JOY. God will help us sha we believe.
What is this?
They are always claiming bad things like that but Nigerians know a day is coming when they won't be able to do this no more.