Boko Haram Leader Declares Total War Against Christians

Wearing a bullet proof vest and sandwiched between two AK-47s, Abubakar Shekau, the new leader of Boko Haram, the radical Islamic sect responsible for the death of over 500 people in 2011 alone, is seen in a video released earlier Wednesday, 11 January 2012, outlining the group's grievances against the Nigerian state and President Goodluck Jonathan.

Also mentioned specifically as target by name is the...
President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, whom the group singled out for condemnation after his call on Christians to protect themselves - a call he made after the Christmas Day bomb attack at the St. Theresa's Catholic Church at Madalla, near the Federal Capital Territory.

In the video, Abubakar Shekau boasted that the security agencies could not vanquish his group. It may be recalled that President Jonathan had himself admitted that the sect had infiltrated all arms of his government including the security forces.

Speaking further in the 15-minute video, Mr. Shekau said the group could only hold talks with the government in accordance with the teachings of Islam.

Declaring total war on Christians, the Boko Haram leader said: “We are also at war with Christians because the whole world knows what they did to us,” adding that his group’s successes against the Nigerian state “is an indication that they are in the right path.”