Photos: Boko Haram Releases Pictures of Rocket/Missiles Manufacturing Factory

• As Nigeria Army Responds

The Islamist militant group Boko Haram has released photos apparently showing a rocket-making factory in north-eastern Nigeria. The group has used rocket-propelled grenades in the past and many

Nigerians have been asking where the weapons have been coming from. The photos seem to indicate that members of the group have the technical know-how to manufacture weapons.

The pictures are believed to have been taken in a college in Borno state.They were sent as a Whatsapp messages to the BBC Hausa service using a telephone number from Cameroon, and have also been published on sites linked to so-called Islamic State, which Boko Haram has joined.

Analysts say it looks as though the machinery is from Bama, a town in north-eastern Nigeria recently recaptured from Boko Haram.

An inscription on one of the machines shows the abbreviation of Government Technical College Bama (GTCB). The equipment appears to have been donated to the college by the Educational Trust Fund (ETF) in 2005.

It is not clear when the pictures were taken, or whether the equipment has been moved from Bama.

The army has recaptured most of the towns previously under Boko Haram control but the group still carries out frequent attacks, especially in Borno State, where Bama is located.

The Nigerian military has described the bomb factory images released recently by the Boko Haram sect as ’empty threats’ which will not stop the military from defeating them.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army in its twitter handle @DefenceInfoNG responeded saying that the images were released to create apprehension and panic to Nigerians.

“In recent times, there were some clips about the bomb factory released by Boko Haram terrorists in order to create apprehension and panic in our innocent citizens and to prove that they are still very much alive to their unholy, barbaric and unethical conduct.

“For avoidance of doubt, this and other tactics are nothing but empty threats which will not help them from being defeated.

“This shows that the Terrorist are true enemies of Nigerians therefore we must collectively condemn and stand firm to finish them,” it said.

It further stated that, the military is following the terrorists step by step, with a view to crushing them while avoiding human and collateral damage in line with the rules of engagement, code of conduct and standard operational procedure.

Source: bbc.com