New Boko Haram leader: We’ll burn churches, kill all Christians

The new Boko Haram leader, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, has said that he is out to blow up churches and kill all Christians.

Al-Barnawi, was reported as saying that Boko Haram under his watch will shift attention from Muslims and mosques but would carry out more attacks on churches and Christians.

The recently unveiled Boko Haram leader by ISIS and the first son of the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, revealed this in a translation of an interview that was published in the Islamic State newspaper al-Nabaa.

Al-Barnawi alleged that there is a plot by the Western nations to Christianise the West African region, adding that they are making use of charity organisations to carry out this agenda.

“They strongly seek to Christianise the society. They exploit the condition of those who are displaced under the raging war, providing them with food and shelter and then Christianising their children.”

Al-Barnawi, who was referred to as ‘Governor’ in the interview added that Boko Haram would begin “booby-trapping and blowing up every church that we are able to reach, and killing all of those who we find from the citizens of the cross (Christians).”

This is coming after the Islamic State (IS), on Wednesday announced the replacement of Abubakar Shekau with Al-Barnawi.

Read also: ISIS confirms Nigerian Army’s claims that Shekau is dead

Al-Barnawi had on January 27, 2015, released a video in his capacity as spokesman for Boko Haram. As at the time he made the announcement, Boko Haram was not yet part of the Islamic State.

It was on March 7, 2015, two months later, that Abubakar Shekau released an audio message in which he pledged his allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the Islamic State.

Meanwhile, Abubakar Shekau in an audio message on Thursday claimed he is around despite his reported replacement as leader of the terrorist.

He was quoted as saying, “People should know we are still around. We will never cause any discord among the people, we will live by the Koran.

“This is our stand and we remain in our capacity as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad,” Shekau stated
making use of Islamic name for the hardline jihadist group.

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