By Usama Dandare
A video footage allegedly from Boko Haram fighters was uploaded on YouTube ereyesterday in which suspected Boko Haram terrorists threatened fire and brimstone against the Nigerian states, and jokingly threatened to abduct President Muhammadu Buhari in what looks likes a new comedy series. Boko Haram are known for their explosives videos but this latest release seems too amateurish and looks more like a comedy show, it’s nothing but a war propaganda to deter our combatants forces in their ongoing efforts to wrap up the already won battle against insurgency in the country. A closer analysis of the so-called video will prove that the whole clip is more or less a fraud:
First of all, i doubt if the video was covered on 12 Sept, 2016 as the narrator wanted us to believe. Eid prayers are normally performed outdoors in the open, contrary to what we saw in the footage where the suspected terrorists were shown praying Eid inside a mosque. The other two praying sessions were no doubt captured during Eid prayers but the date and time remains a matter of questions, however, the second prayer session seems to have been captured in the night as against the 1st & 3rd, which contradicts Islamic injunctions. So it’s either they (Boko Haram) lacks the basic knowledge and understanding of Islamic tutelages or they may be playing with our collective psyche by rejuvenating an old video of a Friday and Eid prayers when things were going good for them.
Secondly, the entire video settings and atmosphere is also another factor to scrutinize. Taking a closer gaze, one may notice the background and surroundings in that video looks more like a village, and considering the fact that Boko Haram are currently not in control of any part of Nigeria’s territory, one must wonder how Boko Haram managed to own such a village undetected in an environment heavily covered by airforce jets. Therefore, there’re all possibities that the video was taken either in Bama or Buni Yadi when the terrorists were in control of towns and villages.
My third observation is the large number of worshippers shown in the so-called video, looking tattered, malnourished and helpless as you can see in their faces. The large number of worshippers shown in the clip looks more of poor villagers than Boko Haram fighters, reason that vast majority of them were unarmed, and no real terrorist will be roaming about unarmed while fully knowing the military are after them and may jam anytime any moment. Looking at the crowd, one may notice that the worshippers were helpless and under control. As such, it’s possible that the crowd shown in the video clip may be that of poor villagers whom were unluckily trapped in the then Boko Haram control territories.
At the end, the unnamed narrator vindicated my earlier statements, he said in Hausa and I quote: “kada wani yayi tunanin wannan tsohon video ne aka hada, sabon video ne da muka dauka yau ranar sallah shabiyu ga watan satumba na shekarar arna.” meaning Nobody should think that this video is a collection of old videos being manipulated or rejuvenated, it’s a real video and not a videoshop that we took today being Sallah day 12-Sept according to infidels calendar. This statement alone speaks volume about the genuinty of the video in question. As the hausa man will say “me ya kawo rami idan babu rami?” meaning what brought the issue of a hole when there is none? Or the common saying; “there is no smoke without fire”. If truly the video wasn’t manipulated, what prompted the narrator to bring in issues of manipulation?
Finally, the whole essence of this videoshopping was to ut fear into the minds of innocents citizens and show the world that Boko Haram are still as strong as they were before, in order to falsify government’s claims of achieving huge success in the ongoing assault against Boko Haram. But whatever the case may be, it’s clearly written in bold that Boko Haram has been demoralised and conquered by our gallant forces, the remaining incapacitated few are surely coming home roast any moment soon. The so-called video if nothing, has given Nigerians enough reasons to celebrate the end of Boko Haram and thank President Muhammadu Buhari and our gallant military forces for a job well done, they have achieved in just fifteen months what others failed to achieve in six years. Though the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode wouldn’t be happy with this development but the video itself shows that we have indeed made significant progress in the war against insurgency, at least we are seeing for the first time a Boko Haram video without rocket propellers nor GPMGs not to mention of Armoured Personal Carriers, rather we saw some malnourished idiots with three to four AK-47 only. Indeed, our gallant officers and men of the Nigerian military are on the verge of wrapping victory in a war that once seemed unwinnable. Thank you Buhari! Thank you Burutai! #ThankASoldier
Usama A. Dandare, a social commentator write from Sokoto. Reach him via [email protected], www.facebook.com/usama.dandareor twitter @osadaby
