Boko Haram Leader, Shekau said the group were joining with ISIS
ISIS is said
to have taken a terrifying stranglehold on Nigeria after militants Boko Haram
pledged allegiance to the terror group.
An audio
recording believed to be from Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau said the
jihadists, who have been waging a six-year military campaign in northern
Nigeria, were merging with ISIS.
A
translation of the Arabic broadcast said: 'We announce our allegiance to
the Caliph... and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity.'
The
recording identified 'the Caliph' as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS
and self-proclaimed caliph of the Muslim world.
The message
means that ISIS now has a foothold in Nigeria, as well as controlling swathes
of Iraq and Syria and parts of Egypt and Libya.
Baghdadi has
already accepted pledges of allegiance from other jihadist groups in the Middle
East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and north Africa as he seeks to expand their reign
of terror.
This month
Boko Haram released a highly-edited video appearing to show it beheading two
men in a similar fashion to the sickening footage released by ISIS.
Rita Katz,
from terrorism monitor SITE Intelligence Group, said: 'Boko Haram is now being
elevated from a local jihadi group to an important arm of the Islamic State.
With Boko Haram's wide network in North Africa, the Islamic State's projection
of creating an Islamic Caliphate is gaining headway.
'Furthermore,
Islamic State's infrastructure, resources and military capabilities will enable
Boko Haram to expand its operations and control even faster in North
Africa.'
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the acclaimed leader of ISIS
Latest of ISIS atrocities, eight men killed hanging from their feet in the Iraqi city of Hawija today
Libya, where the terrorists paraded police cars spotting black flags through the streets of Benghazi last month
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