Terrorists' pledge to ISIS means nothing – Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has said that Abubakar Shekau’s pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State group (ISIS) means nothing.

Shekau had pledged his allegiance to ISIS via an audio clip posted on Twitter on Saturday, March 7.

The army has however said that Shekau’s move changes nothing and will not save him.

“With or without allegiance to ISIS, the days of Shekau has already been numbered,” Colonel Sani Usman, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, said during an interview on the Hausa service of the BBC.

“…because all the insurgents’ training camps and hideouts in the affected North-East have been destroyed, while the terrorists have been routed from their camps and hideouts; and those who have escaped our cordon and search operations in the Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad Basin Areas, are on the run, abandoning their operational vehicles, arms and ammunitions,” he added.

“Shekau’s public allegiance to IS clearly indicates that he may surrender or be killed in the ongoing joint military operations of Nigeria and three neighbouring countries of Chad, Cameroon and Niger,” Usman said.

Usman also added that Boko Haram, was only attempting to strike fear and terror in the hearts of Nigerians.

Experts have said that Shekau’s pledge of allegiance to ISIS is a final act of desperation and a cry for help.