Bauchi Prison Attack: Boko Haram Claims Responsibility, Threatens Govt.

PHOTO: A FILE PHOTO SHOWS A BUILDING OF AN ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS SECT IN FLAMES AFTER NIGERIAN SOLDIERS ALLEGEDLY SET IT ABLAZE WHEN IT RAIDED THE SECT MOSQUE IN MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE.

JOS, Sept 08, (THEWILL) - The dreaded Boko Haram religious sect has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack on Bauchi Prisons saying its men carried out the operation to free its members from Western influenced trials.

The sect in a pamphlet which it circulated on major streets in Bauchi however frowned at the name "Boko Haram" saying its name is "Jama’atu Ahlissunnah lidda’awati wal Jihad meaning people struggling to restore the implementation of Islamic Legal system and Muslim independence from Christian and this wicked government."

"We don’t want to be called Boko Haram," they warned as they went ahead to commiserate with Muslims in Jos over the Jos crises.

The sect in the pamphlets defended their actions saying they were provoked by government into violence explaining that they had preached peacefully for eight years before the present government suddenly attacked them inside a mosque, one early morning and killed its members.

The pamphlet was however not signed and had no individual name on it.

The sect members said since it is the intention of government to kill its members, it will continue to fight state.

The sect wrote: "Who ever has a hand in punishing their members they will not forget him.

"Who ever wants his wife to become a widow he should get ready and we will not forget the way our members are killed in Dutsen Tanshi Police station, Yankari terminus, who ever has a hand in killing our members from the state governor down to ward and district head we didn’t forget, and you will see what you wouldn’t like."

Both the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Prison Service, Mr. Olusola Ogundipe and the General Officer Commanding 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Saleh Maina paid separate visits to the prison to assess the situation.

Ogundipe described the attack as unfortunate while Maina declined comments.