EXCLUSIVE: Boko Haram speaks: Why we attacked THISDAY
26/04/2012 19:57:00 Premium Times
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The sect says more media houses might be attacked
The extremist sect, while claiming responsibility for Thursday's attacks, says more bombings are coming the way of the media

The Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, says it attacked THISDAY Thursday to send a strong message to the media that it would no longer condone reports misrepresenting it in the press, or blaming it for acts it knows nothing about.
Abul Qaqa, spokesperson for the sect told Premium Times, in an exclusive interview, that his organisation was fed up with the deliberate misinformation being peddled about it in the Nigerian and foreign media.
“We have repeatedly cautioned reporters and media houses to be professional and objective in their reports. This is a war between us and the Government of Nigeria; unfortunately the media have not been objective and fair in their report of the ongoing war, they chose to take side,” Mr. Qaqa said.
He identified three instances where he claimed his group was deliberately misrepresented by the media. The first, according to him, was the rumour of his capture by the Nigerian intelligence agencies.
“Some reporters are aware that I am Abul Qaqa, they know my voice through our long interactions and they also know the role of Abu Darda who heads the enlightenment committee and sometimes facilitates interviews; yet they (media) go by the unsubstantiated view of government that Abul Qaqa is in custody and I am the new spokesman or number two,” he said.
Premium Times had continuously reported that Abul Qaqa was not arrested contrary to reports and that it was Abu Darda, another member, that was arrested.
The second misrepresentation, according to Mr. Qaqa, was the reporting on the kidnappings of foreigners in the Northern part of Nigeria.
“Another issue was the recent kidnappings in the north; we were clear with our position as a group during a teleconference with reporters but we were shocked the next day when newspaper headlines added a lot of things which I never said during that interview.”
The third example, Mr. Abul Qaqa said, is the mistranslation of the video the group posted recently.
 “Another example is the recent video posted on YouTube by our Imam; I challenge every Nigerian to watch that video again. There is no place our imam either said he will crush President Jonathan or issued an ultimatum to the government in Nigeria; but nearly all papers carried very wrong and mischievous headlines.”
When asked why THISDAY appeared specifically chosen for the attack, Mr. Qaqa said THISDAY’s “sins” are more grievous.
 “It is not only THISDAY that has been engaged in negative media campaign, fictional stories and constantly promoting fake stories by the JTF to give an impression that they are making headway against us yet there is no time the media investigated further as an objective and responsible bystander in this war.
“But the sins of THISDAY are more,” he said.
“They once insulted the Prophet Mohammed in 2001 and we have not forgotten. They recently said our Imam executed me which is false. Here I am speaking to you, I am alive and healthy.”
Expect more media attacks
The group’s spokesman further warned of more attacks on the media.
“We have just started this new campaign against the media and we will not stop here, we will hit the media hard since they have refused to listen to our plea for them to be fair in their reportage,” he said.
Mr. Abul Qaqa also said his group  would give further information on biases by the media.
“In the coming days we will give details and instances where the media have not been fair to us and why we are going to attack them as well.”
Media should be neutral
“The media in Nigeria are not a problem to us if they will do their job professionally without taking sides,” Mr. Abul Qaqa said.
“But each time we say something, it is either changed or downplayed. But when our enemy says something even without logical proof, it is blown out of proportion.”
"We have repeated asked some reporters to retract some stories or even give us the right of reply but none of these requests were given to us."

http:///D8TpwbuX

Interesting.

Over to "ThisDay"! Can it bomb Boko Haram back in retaliation?

So ait should beware too? You lie against me ---- i kill you?

honeric01: So ait should beware too? You lie against me ---- i kill you?

It is well oo:@:@ It is well oo:@:@

Nairaland, be warned.

Na wa o. So Boko Haram wants to enforce Professionalism with bombs?

Premium Times don take style advertise themselves say dem be professionals

Kilode?!:
Na wa o. So Boko Haram wants to enforce Professionalism with bombs?

I tell you, their bizarre modus operandi is beyond logic.
The silly cowards should tell us their real names, where they hail from, where they are camped and why they continue to kill innocent Nigerians in 'retaliation' for what known government officials did to them.

Watch how our pressmen will not say a word about BH again.

Come to think it, in as much as I disagree with the bombing, I must say Nigeria media needs to be objective in thier reporting. In Nigeria media it is an all-out media war and propaganda against the North. From the mainstream media to social networks, online forums to blogs, it is hunting season for anything Northern.

You just need an internet connected mobile phone and you are set to begin unleashing your full arsenal against “Northerners”. The activities of Boko Haram which have claimed more Muslim lives, wreaked more havoc to Northern cities than anywhere else are attributed to desperate Northern politicians who lost out in the political chess game,

Lmao. Boko Haram restoring Law and order.

Boko Haram Motto: WE AINT GOT TIME TO SUE FOR DEFAMATION. . . .

boko haram aka justice against defamation of character!
i wonder if daily trust is on their menu!

They hit ThisDay simply because it is a soft target.
Intelligence services got wind of their plans to hit hotels frequented by whites, so security around hotels was beefed up.

Boko haram has been deeply curtailled and they simply wanted to have headlines attached to their name by any means. The animals have been wekened to the point that they are now denying that they said they would crush the FG in 3 months.

afam4eva: Nairaland, be warned.

Boko haram no fit do NL any tin. NL is in the US. Even a tiny incendiary weapon set off on US soil would yield Afghanistan style results of incalculable blood cost.

We northerners have been rendered as a voiceless people in this media war and propaganda, we are unable to tell our stories strongly from our own perspective while others do it for us, and they paint their version of the truth in whatever colour hue they deem fit. Nigeria media needs to have a re think, about its stereotype reporting and biased coverage. Bear in mind, am not in anyway suggesting Boko Haram are right in attacking Thisday. My point is that we should look inwards, the world we live in is like a mirror, if you laugh at it, it laugh back. If you frown at it, it frown back at you.

Beaf: They hit ThisDay simply because it is a soft target.
Intelligence services got wind of their plans to hit hotels frequented by whites, so security around hotels was beefed up.

Boko haram has been deeply curtailled and they simply wanted to have headlines attached to their name by any means. The animals have been wekened to the point that they are now denying that they said they would crush the FG in 3 months.

Lmao.

U actually believe this rubbish you wrote?

@13 volts, as you say the media is unfair, to the north, what is stoping it from building its own media, to counter, what you consider to be false stories? rather intemidation such as bombing is used, does it solve the problem? you do not support the bombings u say, what then if I might ask is your solution? I ask all this, because from what I see, BH is fighting on your behalf.

df2006: @13 volts, as you say the media is unfair, to the north, what is stoping it from building its own media, to counter, what you consider to be false stories? rather intemidation such as bombing is used, does it solve the problem? you do not support the bombings u say, what then if I might ask is your solution? I ask all this, because from what I see, BH is fighting on your behalf.

Bruv, where you de since? How your side?

I don't see the point in anyone countering stories. The problem is in the core-North, its not like its in the SE, SW, SS or Middle Belt.
Who can recall anybody talking about bad press when there was the militancy crisis in the ND? The people simply carried their cross; that is the way it should be.

Beaf:
Bruv, where you de since? How your side?

I don't see the point in anyone countering stories. The problem is in the core-North, its not like its in the SE, SW, SS or Middle Belt.
Who can recall anybody talking about bad press when there was the militancy crisis in the ND? The people simply carried their cross; that is the way it should be.

bro, I dey o, too many shildrens, for NL these days, I dey watch from the side lines, now.


the question is why do agrieved people like 13volts who disagee with the style of bombings, allow BH to speak for them?

df2006:

bro, I dey o, too many shildrens, for NL these days, I dey watch from the side lines, now.


the question is why do agrieved people like 13volts who disagee with the style of bombings, allow BH to speak for them?

13volts and many like him are confused.

They think it is a religious/sectional duty to side with the common man in their battle, they tend to cast boko haram as a knight in shining armour, doing battle against corrupt Western ideals. But boko haram is simply a pack of murderers who have indiscriminately killed children, women and hundreds who have no link with either govt or the "hated" Western ways.

That sort of confusion offers boko haram a nest to dwell in.

As for the shildrens, I think its the mods letting things down.

Nice to see they have a 'reason' for the wasting of many lifes, and ruining the lifes of many more who will NEVER be the same again after losing a loved one.

.

But the north have DailyTrust or should we say 'Daily Lies' and many that print and broadcast in hausa, hence, they can not be read or heard in the south! I think it is now time for the press to shift offices down south along with the movement of the southerners and then employ the locals to gather the news for them, that is how BBC does it!

I'm startled by these ludicrous reasons of wasting human lives, which is no more than act of pure cowardice and wickedness. I think it would be safer if they adopt the methods of fore warning the civilians around their targets to minimize casualities