Boko Haram defy Nigerian military by openly celebrating Eid-Fitr in Sambisa Forest

TERRORIST sect Boko Haram have defied the Nigerian Army by holding a brazen Eid-Fitr celebration involving a prayer session and the slaughtering of animals in Sambisa Forest to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Despite the fact that Boko Haram is no longer as powerful as it was four years ago when it controlled about 14 local government areas across northeast Nigeria, it is still functional, mainly in Borno State. Of late, the Nigerian Army has claimed that the sect can no longer operate freely but last week, the terrorist disproved this.

In a show of open defiance, Boko Haram fighters openly celebrated Eid-el-Fitr in Sambisa Forest and even recorded the event on video. Their five minute and 17 second footage showed the terrorists and their families dressed in festival attires, performing salat after completing 29 days of fasting.

One of the terrorists said: "Praise be to almighty Allah for giving us the opportunity to pray at Eid-Fitr under the leadership of our leader Abubakar Shekau. We want the world to know that we are alive and happy to witness this festive occasion.

Another terrorist added: "There will be more trouble to the infidels. We want our enemies to know that we are celebrating Sallah in Sambisa and we shall continue to wage war until we score victory against the infidels.”

It is believed that the terrorists in the video belong to the Shekau faction of Boko Haram, although he was not at the prayer. Recently, the Nigerian military said it has embarked on Operation Last Push to flush the terrorists from their hiding places around the fringes of Lake Chad.