article_snippet: Boko Haram chief Abubakar Shekau declared the northeast Nigerian city to be the capital of a new Islamic caliphate after Boko Haram chief Abubakar Shekau seized the town in August.
article_snippet: Earlier this month Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, formally recognising Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as Boko Haram spiritual leader.
article_snippet: Brutal: Boko Haram chief Abubakar Shekau (pictured) declared the northeast Nigerian city to be the capital of a new Islamic caliphate after Brutal: Boko Haram chief Abubakar Shekau (pictured) seized the town in August .
article_snippet: Earlier this month Boko Haram militants (pictured during a recent filmed beheading) pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, formally recognising Iraqi Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as Boko Haram militants (pictured during a recent filmed beheading) spiritual leader .
article_snippet: A regional offensive against Boko Haram was mounted at the end of January amid growing international concern as Boko Haram seized territory the size of Belgium.
article_snippet: Boko Haram seized territory the size of Belgium also pledged to become the West Africa franchise of the Islamic State group operating in Syria and Iraq, and as the insurgents spread the insurgents attacks across borders.
highlights_snippet: North-east Nigerian city is a Boko Haram stronghold and de facto capital .
  
highlights_snippet: North-east Nigerian city is also where the Terrorists were thought to have been hiding nearly 300 schoolgirls who were abducted in nearby Chibok almost a year ago .
  