Boko Haram leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau, has said that soldiers and police officers, not his group, killed civilians in last week’s attacks that left over 210 person dead.
In a 40-minute audio message, with his still picture posted on YouTube, Abubakar Shekau blamed the deaths of “innocent civilians” on security forces.

He also reiterated claims that the federal government would not be able to stop his group.

Shekau denounced the recent crackdown on the Islamic sect, particularly in Maiduguri where there are series of recent attacks on Islamic schools or madrassas, just as he demanded the release from prison of all its members.

His words: “We never touched ordinary people in the city, instead we gave them protection,” he said, “they [soldiers] would rush to the media and say it was us who did it.”

“Jonathan cannot crush us,” … “Killing us is not a victory over us. Many prophets and learned men of Islam were murdered but their legacies still live.”