Nigeria's Boko Haram is no threat, says Abba Moro

Nigeria's interior minister has said the army is
making progress in the war against Boko Haram
militants, despite the killing of 44 people in a
mosque.

Abba Moro dismissed the attack as "desperate" and
"isolated".

"The security agencies of Nigeria have been able to
push the Boko Haram sect from their major
strongholds," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa
programme.

Nigeria has declared an emergency in three states
after thousands of deaths in militant attacks in
recent years.

Boko Haram is fighting to establish an Islamic state
in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north.

The mosque attack happened during dawn prayers
on Sunday, although news only emerged on
Monday, as communications have been disrupted
by the state of emergency.

It took place in the town of Konduga, 35km (22
miles) from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri,
where Boko Haram was established in 2002,
launching its first attack seven years later.

Twelve further civilians were killed at Ngom village,
closer to Maiduguri, reports say.

Boko Haram has not commented on the mosque
attack but news of it came as a video emerged of
the group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, saying his
followers had carried out recent attacks including
some that targeted the police and the military.

He said this showed that the army's claims to have
inflicted heavy losses on the group were "lies".

It is not clear why the mosque was targeted - one
explanation is that members of a local vigilante
group may have been praying there.

Several such groups have been set up since the
emergency was declared in Borno and two
neighbouring states in May.

Boko Haram frequently attacks churches but it has
also occasionally targeted mosques and preachers
disagree with their views.

The attackers wore military uniforms, officials say,
which they may have taken during recent attacks on
a barracks.

Following a lull immediately after the emergency
was declared, there has been a recent spate of
attacks, blamed on Boko Haram, which have left
some 160 people dead.

But Mr Moro said these were the "desperate antics"
of a group trying to show it was still relevant.
Thousands of extra soldiers have been sent to the
region since the state of emergency was
announced.

The military cut mobile phone networks when they
imposed the state of emergency, saying they
wanted to make it more difficult for the militants to
organise attacks.

However, some local officials have said this prevents
civilians from getting help.