For hosting a beauty pageant in Kaduna, Kaduna State in 2002, ThisDay newspaper must cease to exist, so says dreaded sect, Boko Haram.
Boko Haram, in a video released on Sunday stating reasons why it bombed the ThisDay offices in Abuja and Kaduna, which also affected The Sun and Moment newspapers, with a live recording of the minutes before the suicide bomber rammed a space bus into the Abuja office, said the sin committed by the newspaper outfit is not pardonable.
In a translation provided for The Eagle Online of the video that was shot in Hausa language, Boko Haram said though some Muslim scholars said they have forgiven ThisDay for hosting the beauty pageant, no one has the right to forgive such an act.
It also said that the host of the pageant, Isioma Daniel still remains a target for elimination once the opportunity arises because “there’s a verdict of death on her. That is the penalty.
“And as for ThisDay, the verdicct is that it would cease to exist.
“And now Allah has given us the opportunity to carry out this attack on ThisDay.
“But the attack on ThisDay will not stop the death penalty on Isioma Daniel.
“As it is written in Verse 9, Chapter 14 in Suratul Duha, Allah said we should kill every unclean thing amongst us and wipe them away and they should never be remembered.
“By these acts, Allah will cleanse this country from the nefarious acts perpetrated by the unclean.”
Boko Haram also said that the reportage of an incident in Sokoto, in which it denied involvement, was also reported by ThisDay to the contrary.
“Though we were happy with the attacks, but we were not responsible for it.”
It also cited the misrepresentation of its leader in another video released earlier.
It said whereas the leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, never said the government of President Goodluck Jonathan would be brought down in three months, ThisDay and other newspapers went to town with the report.
“And all these are lies,” it said, adding that the purported arrest of the spokesman of the group, Abu Qaqa, which it disputed, was also another offence ThisDay committed along with other newspapers.
It said it was not Abu Qaqa that was arrested by the State Security Service but another member of the group, adding that despite making this clear, some medium still report to the contrary.
“And recently, ThisDay reported that they found somenone named Mohammed Aawal Kotangora, who is now the number two man,” Boko Haram said, adding that “all these are lies and misconceptions to dissuade the populace from knowing the truth behind our Jihad (Holy war).”
The group also said it did not kill anyone based on any confession to the SSS as reported in the media, since in the first place the person purported to have been arrested was never in detention.
It added that there are three newspapers that have been spreading terrible lies about the group just to make money, promising to deal with the organisations involved, but that ThisDay happens to be “the biggest offender.”
It said the next phase of its attack would be The Punch, The Sun, Vanguard, The Guardian, The Nation, Tribune and National Accord.
It also said the Hausa service of the Voice of America should also expect to be attacked, adding: “As far as we can gain access to their offices or any of their investments, we will attack them.
“And as for VOA Hausa, they have been using some of their programmes to support the government against us.
“By the grace of Allah, we will take decisive action against them.
“Even traditional rulers who go and give government support will be dealt with too.”
It also named Leadership, Daily Trust, The Peoples Daily and the Hausa service of Radio France International as susceptible to attack from the group.
It added: “Also, we will deal with some online media like Sahara Reporters, which give Christians the opportunity to air their views freely. They will be dealt with very well.
“We are still looking for a way to deal with them and stop them from broadcasting.
“Finally, we thank the man that drove himself to ThisDay. May Allah grant him eternal rest.”
See video below