Boko Haram’s Islamic caliphate ’empty claim’

The military has debunked the claim of the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, that it had formed a caliphate in a northeast town, Gwoza, seized by the insurgents early this month.

In a statement on its website, the military said the claim was empty.

“The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state is still intact.

“Any group of terrorists laying claim to any portion of the country will not be allowed to get away with the expression of delusion and crime,” it said.

It further said appropriate military operations to secure that area from the activities of “the bandits” were still ongoing.

Meanwhile, chief of army staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, has said the army will soon launch a “massive military offensive” to end insurgency in the north-east.

Minimah was addressing troops of 2 Brigade Port Harcourt at a two-day visit to army formations and units in Rivers on Sunday.

According to him, military hardware will soon arrive into the country in furtherance of the federal government resolve to end Boko Haram activities.

“The equipment ordered by the federal government will soon be coming into the nation’s shores in a few weeks time.

“As soon as the equipment come in, we will launch a major offensive toward ending this madness of insurgency in the north-east of the country,” he said.

Minimah said that under President Goodluck Jonathan, the army had witnessed significant improvement in personnel welfare and institutional capacity to confront the nation’s security challenges.

He said that efforts were also being made to reduce oil theft in the Niger Delta in response to new techniques devised by oil thieves to sabotage the nation’s economy.

“We cannot say we will completely stamp out oil theft in one day, but then the greater act in pursuing oil thieves is ongoing, and we will see greater result with time,” he said.