A video released by Boko Haram this Monday morning, shows about 136 girls believed to be the kidnapped victims.
The girls, dressed in full-length hijab, with only faces and hands showing, were reciting Suratul-Fatiha, the first chapter of the Holy Quran….The 27-minute video also shows an interview with some of the girls who mentioned their names. Two girls say they were Christians before the kidnap and have converted to Islam, while the other says she is Muslim.
Mr. Shekau claimed most of the girls have converted to Islam and the ones that have converted are now ‘sisters’ to the sect’s members. Holding a pad of paper in his hand, Mr Shekau tells the camera:
“These girls, these girls you occupy yourselves with their affair we have indeed ‘liberated’ them. We have indeed ‘liberated’ them.
“Do you know ‘we have liberated them’? These girls have become Muslims. They are Muslims.”
He continues: “It is now four years or five years that you arrested our brethren and they are still in your prison.
“You are doing many things (to them). And now you are talking about these girls. We will never release them until after you release our brethren.”
It is not clear when and where the video was shot….Watch the video when you continue
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This is serious. Something needs to be done as soon as possible.
#BringBackOurGirls. Come to think of it, Is Shekau Afraid?
I watched some parts of the 17-minute video. I saw the girls in a "happy", though feigned, mood. They are all talking to each other. They were saying loudly, in Hausa: "…Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of God, and Prophet Jesus is also a messenger of God; he is not son of God. Then they started reading from the Quran; Surah Fatiha, loudly. One of the girls came forward to tell that they are not harmed by the fighters, and they have all converted to Islam. I saw them some in ash-coloured hijabs and some in black hijabs. Some of them were standing, some were sitting on the ground. Three or so of them were holding the black flag for Jihad. They looked calm and undisturbed. But I think it is just a facade.
I generated some points to show that they are afraid:
1.) In his previous video (before international pressure mounted on them and the FG; and before prominent Islamic groups and scholars condemned their acts, even Al-Qaeda) Shekau promised to sell the girls because, he claimed, Allah had ordered him to do so In the Quran. So why did he changed his mind now? Is he shunning the command of Allah, as he claimed? Or what is it?
2.) The foreign media, international community, movements and the world in general condemned what he has done to the girls; the slavery and oppression. To clean that out, he, I believe, forced the girls to say they are not been harmed. Why did he need to say this, after he occasionally said that he is working for Allah and don't mind what people may say?
3.) Foreign troops are coming. In most of his videos he dared Obama, Francoise Hollande, Queen Elizabeth etc. He once said: "Nigeria, you are late…We are waiting for America" (emphasis mine). Now that American soldiers are about to help demolish them, they want "peace. Yes, peace. Why can't they come and fight, for the sake of Allah?
Conclusion: I believe Boko Haram are afraid of the foreign military. They cannot confront them. That is why they, when the soldiers are about to strike, made an offer; an alternative that many rebels had used. They want their members in detention to be released in exchange for the girls. To further show they are afraid, they destroyed two important bridges that will take the soldiers to where they are cowardly hiding. Why can't they let the soldiers come and face them? Truth is Shekau is afraid. And the deadly mistake the Nigerian government will make is to accept the "offer" and release their members, without agreement for ceasefire if possible. If they release them, who knows what they are up to? And they would be strengthened morally, physically and economically. We should find a way out.
And the issue of their "forced" conversion to Islam can be resolved later for the Quran said "There is no compulsion in religion"; get the girls first, if they chose to be Muslims thereafter, it is for them. Glad that the girls are alive. God bless Nigeria.
A.Y. Malam Roni.
My thoughts on the latest video released by Boko Haram today in which some of the kidnapped girls were shown reciting the Koran?
1. I stand by my earlier post that indeed SOME girls were kidnapped and not up to 234 or 300. This video with about 100 girls shown vindicates my position that the numbers might have been sexed up.
2. I condemn the abduction of even one girl, not to talk of many and call for their release to their parents.
BUT…
3. I still believe a lot of politics is being played in this saga?
4. In a few hours, I will release new findings on how the politics has been played, the international angle to it and most importantly the concessions and ceding of our sovereignty to the foreign powers through this saga. It is a no-win situation for both the government, the faceless puppet masters pulling the Boko Haram strings and the people of Nigeria in the long run. Those who will win are those who now have control of new and upcoming oil deals among the nations.
I dey come….