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Nigeria's Boko Haram Pledges Allegiance to Islamic State
This file image taken from video posted by Boko Haram sympathizers made available on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2012 shows Imam Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram. (AP Photo, File)

Nigeria's Boko Haram Pledges Allegiance to Islamic State

The audio statement calls on Muslims all over the world to declare their loyalty to the Islamic State.

Story by the Associated Press; curated by Dave Urbanski

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's home-grown Boko Haram Islamic extremists have pledged formal allegiance to the Islamic State group in a message allegedly by the Nigerian insurgent leader posted on Twitter and reported by the SITE Intelligence monitoring service.

This file image taken from video posted by Boko Haram sympathizers made available on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2012 shows Imam Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram. (AP Photo, File)  This file image taken from video shows Imam Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram. (Image source: AP, File)

The unverified pledge posted Saturday comes as the Nigerian militants reportedly are massing in a northeastern town for a showdown with a multinational force that has dislodged them from a score of towns in recent weeks.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau makes the oath in Arabic in a tweeted message saying: "We announce our allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims." IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has declared himself the caliph.

Police say four suicide bomb attacks hit the city of Maiduguri on Saturday, killing at least 54 people and wounding 143 in the heartland of Nigeria's northeastern Islamic extremist uprising.

This story has been updated.

Follow Dave Urbanski (@DaveVUrbanski) on Twitter

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