The leader of Boko Haram, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) fighting for the establishment of a separate Islamic state in Northeast Nigeria to be ruled by Sharia law, said in a video released to Sahara Reporters, “it is either you are with us Mujahedeen or you are with the Christians.” Shekau pledged war against Christians in Nigeria, even going so far as to equate Nigerian politicians’ affiliation with Western officials or ideals as apostasy, or the act of leaving Islam, which, under Sharia law, is punishable by death.
