The Boko Haram sect has
denied entering into any ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government.
The
group stated this in a new video by its leader, Abubakar Shekau. The video is
available to AP and quoted by Huffington Post.
“We
will not enter into any agreement with non-believers or the Nigerian
government,” Mr. Shekau was quoted as saying in Hausa language.
Mr.
Shekau’s statement contradicts that of the federal government.
The
Minister of Special Duties and chairman of the presidential task force
negotiating with the group, Kabiru Turaki, had said the group had agreed to a
ceasefire with his committee. He said the ceasefire would soon be signed
publicly with the group.
Mr.
Turaki had, however, said his committee did not meet nor negotiate with Mr.
Shekau directly, but negotiated with his deputy.
To
burn more schools
Mr.
Shekau also said in the video that his group was not responsible for killing of
school children in Borno and Yobe
States
“We
don’t touch small children, we only burn the schools,” he said. “Our religion
does not permit us to touch small children and women, we don’t kill children.”
The
sect leader’s claim tallies with that announced by Mr. Turaki, who said the
sect told his committee that they were not responsible for the attack on a
government secondary school in Mamudo. About 28 students and a teacher were
killed when gunmen attacked the school, weeks after similar attacks in other
parts of Yobe and Borno. Most of the Mamudo students were burnt alive,
witnesses had said.
Mr.
Shekau, however, said he supported the attacks on the schools and his sect
would “burn down the schools, if they are not Islamic religious schools for
Allah.”
The
Boko Haram leader also said his sect would attack and kill teachers teaching
western education.
Attacks
by Boko Haram and gunmen have continued- although to a lesser degree, according
to residents- in Borno and Yobe despite the declaration of a State of Emergency
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