ISIS group has accepted a pledge of allegiance to the group made by the jihadist organisation Boko Haram, according to an audiotape Thursday purportedly from its spokesman.
“We announce to you to the good news of the expansion of the caliphate to West Africa because the caliph has accepted the allegiance of our brothers of the Sunni group for preaching and the jihad,” ISIS spokesman Mohammed al-Adnani said in the message, using the name in Arabic of the Nigerian group.
Credit: AFP
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has said that his commitment to the APC and the success of its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the party in the 2015 general elections is unwavering and never been up for bargaining.
“I remain irrevocably committed to the APC, as I promised in my concession speech at the conclusion of our party’s presidential primaries, and has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of our great party at the general elections,” the former Vice President is quoted to have said.
A statement by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja on Tuesday said that reports of the Turaki Adamawa’s purported return to the PDP or any other party is the handiwork of mischief makers focused on pitching the former Vice President against other leaders of the opposition party.
Atiku Abubakar said that for the avoidance of doubt he is unequivocally committed to the unity of APC and that it will take more than the antics of mischief makers to break that bond.
Atiku Abubakar noted that his return from Adamawa, where he convened a stakeholders’ meeting and reconciled disagreeing camps within the party, towards ensuring victory for the APC bears eloquent testimony of this commitment.
The statement reminded that the former Vice President currently supports the financial operations of the APC in many states, in most cases as a sole financier.
“I have backed my words and commitment with my resources to ensure that I bring my influence and support to bear on our party’s march to victory at all levels in the general election. That should be enough to shut up mischief makers bent on derailing the APC’s success at the March 28 and April elections,” he said.
The Atiku Media Office observed that as one of Nigeria’s astute politicians and businessmen, there may be overtures from across political divides to the former Vice President, but restated that Atiku Abubakar has publicly stated his commitment to the APC and has privately rebuffed the approaches from all quarters.
Signed:
Atiku Media Office
Credit: SaharaReporters
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, a jihadi organization based in the Sinai Peninsula that has carried out several attacks targeting Egyptian security forces, has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
The announcement reflects the growing regional appeal of the Islamic State, an al-Qaida breakaway group that has carved out a self-styled caliphate in Syria and Iraq and demanded the loyalty of the world’s Muslims.
The announcement pledging loyalty to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi came in an audio speech posted late Sunday on the Egyptian militant group’s official Twitter account and a militant website. Last week the group had used the same Twitter account to deny reports saying it had pledged allegiance to al-Baghdadi.
The unknown speaker in the recording released Sunday says Ansar Beit al-Maqdis decided to join the Islamic State group, “whose emergence resembles a new dawn raising the banner of monotheism.”
The speaker said al-Baghdadi was “chosen by God” to establish a new caliphate after “Muslims suffered decades of humiliation.”
“Therefore, we have no alternative but to declare our pledge of allegiance to the caliph… to listen and obey him… and we call on all Muslims to pledge allegiance to him.”
The speaker went on to urge Egyptians to rise up against what he called “the tyrant,” apparently referring to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who was elected earlier this year after leading the military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 amid massive protests demanding his resignation.
Since then Sinai-based militants have carried out scores of attacks mainly targeting soldiers and police, including a coordinated assault last month on an Egyptian army checkpoint that killed 31 troops.
Credit: Yahoo News
