Boko Haram claims control of Bama, others

The insurgent group, Boko Haram, has said that it is in
control of Borno's second largest town, Bama.
There had been conflicting reports of who was in control of
the town between the sect and the Nigerian military.
Members of the Boko Haram had two weeks ago invaded
Bama, killing several people and destroying property, thus
forcing residents to flee.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the military, last week
Monday, attacked the insurgents in Bama in an attempt to
reclaim the city. The military had tweeted that it was doing
"everything necessary" to stop the insurgents from taking
control of the city.

However, in a telephone call with journalists in Maiduguri
on Monday, a man who claimed to be Abu Zinnira, a long
forgotten spokesperson of the Boko Haram, said the sect
was in control of Bama.

Abu Zinnira last spoke for the sect two years ago while the
call on Monday lasted just 29 seconds and was in Hausa.
Journalists were unable to authenticate if he was indeed
the Abu Zinnira who used to speak for the sect.

"This is a rebuttal from the information dissemination and
sensitization unit of the Jamaatul Ahlil Sunna Lidawati Wal
Jihad (Boko Haram) on the series of lies that the Nigeria
military have been feeding the world on our recent
conquests," the 'spokesperson' said, while also speaking on
the sect's capture of some towns in Adamawa State.

"Let the whole world know that we are on the path of
victory because up to this minute, the town of Bama is
under our control, the whole of Minchika is now in our
hands, as well as Manalapan (Junction of) Mubi is now fully
under our control.

"We are assuring the world that this would be continuous
and there will be no going back by God's grace. This is a
message from me Abu Zinnira, on behalf of our brethren,"
he said.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the Adamawa State
government on Saturday confirmed that the sect had taken
over Gulak, another town in Adamawa State.

"It has come to the attention of the Adamawa State
Government that insurgents are now in Gulak, the
headquarters of Madagali Local Government Area and had
killed and displaced scores of people.

"On behalf of the people and government of Adamawa, his
Excellency deeply sympathises with the people of Gulak and
other surrounding villages and towns whose areas had
been overran by insurgents," the Secretary to the Adamawa
State Government, Liman Tukur, said in a statement.

The violent activities of the Boko Haram have continued
despite a state of emergency imposed on Adamawa, Borno,
and Yobe since May last year.