The division in the dreaded Islamist sect Boko Haram deepened at the weekend with the murder of Abu Qaqa II, the spokesman of the militant group suspected to have taken over from Abu Qaqa I who was captured last January and has been in the custody of the State Security Service.
Abu Qaqa II was believed to have been killed on the instruction of the leader of the sect, Abu Shekau, for attempting to back out of their reign of terror.
He was said to have tried to denounce the sect after being trailed intensively by security agents, which forced him to change locations on several occasions.
The news of his killing coincided with the disclaimer by Vice President Namadi Sambo that the Boko Haram attacks have religious undertones.
Abu Qaqa II, whose real name is Mohammed Anwal Kontagora, was from Kontagora in Niger State. He adopted the name Abu Qaqa in February after the original Abu Qaqa, also known by many aliases, including Abu Dardaa, Mohammed Shuaibu and Abu Tiamiya, was arrested in January.
Kontagora, like his predecessor, was non-Kanuri, so the decision to terminate his life by the Boko Haram leader, as has transpired with other non-Kanuri members of the sect, was said to have been decided summarily.
THISDAY learnt that the sect was said to be shopping for Abu Qaqa III as its new spokesman.
Security sources revealed that the division and subsequent killing of the spokesman resulted from the sect’s inability to either own up or disassociate itself from the Easter Sunday bomb blast in Kaduna that killed so many commercial motorcyclists and tea vendors.
“This again might have forced Abubakar Shekau (now looking leaner) to personally appear on You-Tube to reply to a statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan while he was in South Korea,” the source said.
However, Sambo, in Washington D.C. at the weekend, dismissed claims that attacks by Boko Haram terrorists have a religious undertone.
Sambo, while fielding questions from Nigerians in the Diaspora at a meeting on Friday in Washington DC, said the bloodletting in the north was the handiwork of terrorists.
He also spoke on efforts being made by the federal government to restore normalcy and tackle other problems besetting Nigeria.
“The security issue that is happening in the north is not a religious problem. It is an unfortunate problem being created by some hoodlums, people that have terrorist tendencies in their mind,” stated Sambo who also disputed the claim that there was religious violence-inspired emigration in various parts of the country.
“I will like to correct one impression. This issue that Christians are moving from the north and the Muslims are leaving the south is wrong. I beg to disagree with that notion because it is not happening,” he said.
-ThisDay
God pls put end to this.
Can a man who suppose to command respect, be lying to this extent, or is it a mistake of the press? Who in this Country will have the audacity to lie that Boko Haram has no religious undertone and that the southerners are not moving home? I personally know many who have come back to the east because of the menace of these evil men. Then again, Jihad has to do with forceful Islamization. Sambo needs to apologize for these blatant lies of his.
try 2 lift economic issues, political issues, so as 2 make correction on past mistakes, not d progres of religion. Tanks.
Mr Sambo, why are you lying? Boko Haram terrorists are fighting to implement FULL sharia law in Nigeria. Trying to Islamise the country. Is that reason not religious enough for you. Southeners are also leaving the North. Pls say the truth at ALL times.
Mr VP. So many error have u made in ur speech kindly pls retrace it and apologize.there is no alternative to peace if there must be development. NB: Peace is a fertile plant,it grows and bear edible fruits once planted and nurtured. Aslong as boko haram lives dis-unity will b her portion.
sambo,you really disapointed nigerians by saying is not a religious war, if it is not attached with religion have you heard any case of bombing on sallah day?or attck in any mosque?why bombing on christmas day? why easter day and attck on churches?sambo god is not sleeping he surely punish you so call muslims
VP said there is no religious undertone? The Jonathan is Infidel ruling them. Its an Islamic ideology. The main aim is to cause death, collapse, of Jonathan, just to finish what Ciroma and co could not achieve in diplomacy. Handover today to SAMBO , Boko Haram will stop.
What i know is that Hausa/ Fulani hv said we are not their brothers. Atleast we know our enemies. When oil money stop coming from South, they will drop those weapons and go to farm.
sambo 4 this statement u mek, it shows dat u r one of d boko haram sponsors. Pls apologize.
sambo I disagree with you, you’re part of the core muslim whose aim is to protect the manence(boko haram sect…)all we need is balkanisation so peace can rein,now the issue of religious undertone(stupid north) leading to another militancy in the Niger delta again…just take a look @ sudan and south sudan_ _pls God let this country NIGERIA divide!!!
@rev. Melachy first Badluck ebele jonathan should appogise 4 nigerians,4 he was d 1st presdnt on earth who lied 2 his ppl on several occasion. sambo only followed d style 2 please his marter.
Mr sambo if u ar mis informd of d activities of ur brothers d boko haram u better shut up ur mouth. Nigeria is already split into north and south by ds dengerous arab man religion they cal islam and we al knw dat is d northen agender. It is unfortunate d innocent christian u people ar killing wit ur lies evryday
D jihadic spirit of islam is trying 2 take over NIGIRIANS and if nothing is done,we all perish.V.P is not being fair with his speach and its not helping matters atall…..we all knw d reason for all dis bombings and killings.,it is clear and stated that d muslims dsnt and have never 4 once liked d christians……i repeat again,something needs to b done…….PRESIDENT GUDLUCK pls dnt fall deaf ears to all this…….”OUR GOD NEVER FAILS”…….thanks!
I think pple should not only view the issue as religious problem cux if u look at majority of the victims of this hoodlums are muslims including renown Islamic scholar.and number of occasion arrest made reveals that some Are Christians on which theory do we conclude that the BH issue is religious?by their comment they sound so bt the acting in coloration.
Saint u are inresponsable person even at home u do nut respect ur papa and mama thats why u are insulting ur leader,
The truth we all knw its difficult 2 accept.Bt VP if u cnt say d truth nd its beta u kip quiet abt this.GOD pass all of us sha….wen he rise frm his throne d table wil turn round.its a mata of tym.
is power the birthright of the north? why is it that problems always arise from the north? please let call a spade a spade the northern emires and their leader are using this hudlums to fight the present government try to seek relevance, lets have a review of some certain issues, we have six geo-political zones in nigeria the NDA and the AVIATION school should be shered acrose the six geo-political zone the rest nigerians are not fools.
May God Almighty deliver Nigeria from these crazy, mad and stupid BOKO HARAM.
Pls those saying muslims are trying 2 dis-blize GJ regime should remember dat OBJ is a xtian & during his time no BOKO HARAM. Dey should pls re-think. Boko haram is not against GJ but rather is a problem dat need prayers from all Nigerians, xtian or muslim.
It is unfortunate the country is passing through a critical period and people who seems to have understanding of these challenges are parochial minded people including the so called Rev. father that lack wisdom in statement could laid foundation for people to say all sort of trash insulting islam and muslim entirely not knowing that these are the things that triggal conflict, if all muslim in nigeria has/have the mind set of boko haram i think nigeria would have been something els as we talking.
As such let me use this opportunity to tell the public that if the V.P said that boko Haram has no religion “undertone“ he is right for islam did not encourage the actions of the BH it is unislamic and surely God will judge, some relating it to jonathan been a christain president they have forgotten that the issue of BH started with umaru musa yar‘adua i think the case of boko haram is more than what people are thinking we should all pray for peace
Ha ha ha…why is Mr Sambo lying like this…is it when all Nigeria die that they will stop all this lie and i know most of the rich muslims are the one supporting them…I know God lives and he will surely punish all those that are behind this and punish those that are supporting them too
@ya all who blivs BH is reliqious-related>>just lyk Sambo said Bokoharam isnt reliqious. I wont blame dt so called Rev, he’s such a stupid man to av uttered thos comments, where was he wen BH threatend to bomb a mosque on 1 particular friday, which many muslims cudnt worship dt very day.
Muslims ar d ones majorly affectd by ds bombins. The easter bombin claimed d lives of motorcycle riders in wich most ar muslims.
All u reliqious biqots shud just shut ur dirty,stinkin – maqqot residin pits u call a mouth…
D God u serv will definitly punish u..
Let us analyse further how Boko Haram came to been so that people who are saying things they dont understand get clear the origin of BH. It all started from Brono State when islamic sect called jamatul Izalatul bid‘ya wa‘jihad are unhappy about the injustice and the inhuman activities of police force incolaboration with the then governor of the state which led to the invasion of the of police stations and presions in the state which later excaleted to some other neighbouring state only police station and presions where targeted, the reaction of the president musa yar‘adu failed to observe the latent consequences by depoloying police to do what the foreign media refers to as extra judical killing of the innocent people and indeed the leader of the sect, at this point no church was involve no Abuja kano and suleja bomb blast, this is where people coin the boko haram and started manipulating it for political gains, think of the controvacial 1st october bomb blast in eagle square Abuja, police headquarter Abuja, United Nation bomb blast all in Abuja. So a lot conspiracies could be attached to what is happening in nigeria today we should all pray for peace and stop saying all manners of things remember it was once predicted that by 2015 Nigeria will be no more why only the church in northern nigeria this is because they want to further enimity between christains and muslims. i know you will ask what will be their gains alot of things, so think and think again God bless Nigeria
To Akin,Its a pity that ur comment was published here,from the look of the situations,bombings,killigs and masscerker, its obvious that its both pol/religious problem,how many mosque have been set ablaize,those moslem that were killed were victim of the situation,not that they had wanted to kill them,well in the light of things wether is political or religiously back,the truth is that their sponsors from aqada and to the politicians are all moslem,the bottom line is that religion contribute 90%,Note that if this country is split today,all the northern countries will not accommodate the nothern Nigeria as brother,because no will accept liability as friend irrespective of the religious ties.
I told u dat islam is a violent, ruthless and dengerious religion. I bet u if d muslims commenting here were to lay their hands on d rev father he would b dead, dats hw evil and evn worse islam can b. Islam dose nt belong here and wil soon b gone frm nigeria and african. Hw can u xplian a religion dat belive in jihad wit a promise frm their allah of 7 vegins if u ar killed in d proces. Divided nigeria in dozen places until d last xtian is dead islam wil nt rest
@Uchdav. U are very myopic in your thinking. U think dis world belongs to the xtain alone? Sorry, we are here to stay untill judgement day. Pls if u all hv nothing to say to move dis country foward pls shut up, its polluting the country futher. What we need is a prayer 4 peace and unity, not pointing accusing finger at islam as a religion or the muslims in general. We as Nigerians should condem d act by dis bh, and not islam. Because islam condems violence and killings unjustly. This pple are not fighting a religious cause, but a political one. May God help us.
We all kno d key players behind dis BH issue. Even d V.P is not ‘clean’
2 Akin,i wish they screen comments b4 they r postd.becos wht u r sayin makes no sense.even a kid won’t say what u said.prayer is d only key unlock peace in dis country.
Wel muna I knw u were going to say al dat robish after all u ar a muslim who must hav bin an almajiri. D point am making is islam is 2faced lieing and a very dengerious secrete cult, d prayer u ar asking fo in nigeria fo peace would hav bin necesary if nt fo ur killing machine u cal boko haram. Look we ar nt hapi dat we welcome a religion dat wil pick up a dager and stab a fellow man, a relgion dat burns down a church and expect us nt to dear say anything fo fear dat its islam. True jugdement day is coming bt b4 then. Nigerians wakeup ds people hav killed us enough
May God save us all
Usman Umar u took us down memory lane but have u ever stopped to ask urself, dat why should the xristians be the scape goat that should suffer for wat happened during the Late prresident’s regime?.Ehem there were claims dat boko haram threatened to bomb a mosque, why did they not eventually bomb it if they are sincere dat they re not only against the xtians.they only said that to deceive themselves.This issue of BH may be multifaceted but it has lasted this long because the group(muslims) used to perpetrate the act derive pleasure in wasting lives because they bliv dat one day they wil ve their ‘reward’ in their heaven.But the bible assures that though hand be joined in hand the wicked shall never go unpunished.
presidency and defense could stop this nonsense if they want.