The Nigerian government on Monday refuted a claim by the militant group Boko Haram that it has set up an Islamic state in a town in the country’s north-east.
“The claim is empty,” Nigeria’s Defence Ministry said on Twitter.
“The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state [are] still intact.”
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The denial came after Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau announced in a video message that the group declared a caliphate in Gwoza in Borno State.
Security agencies were in the process of “analysing the content of the said new video and compare with the facts on the ground in Gwoza,” Borno Governor Kashim Shettima said.
Boko Haram has been in control of Gwoza for several weeks. The military said its attempts to regain control of the town were “ongoing.”
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