MAIDUGURI—THE Boko Haram sect has given reasons for its weekend attacks, which led to the killing of about 162 people in KanoState, saying it was to avenge the persecution of its members.Spokesman of the group, Abul Qaqa, madethis known in a telephone interview withnewsmen in Maiduguri, yesterday.Claiming responsibility for the attacks andmultiple bombings on police stations, StateSecurity Services, SSS, and passport officebuildings in Kano metropolis, Qaga said:“Last night’s (Friday) attacks and bombingsof Kano city followed our warnings in the second week of December, 2011.”‘We warned Kano stakeholders’Besides, Qaqa also referred reporters to an e-mail message in which Imam MuhammadAbubakar Shekau, Spiritual Head of the sect,threatened that: “Unless urgent steps aretaken, the group will launch endless and violent attacks on Kano and its environs because of arbitrary arrest and persecutionof his members."Nextvoice learnt that in the said e-mail,Shekau said the group had written an open letter to the people of Kano, including theEmir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero; GovernorMusa Kwankwaso, Alhaji Aminu Dantata andKhalifa Sheikh Isiaka Rabiu on recent happenings in the ancient city.Shekau revealed that but for the intervention of some prominent scholars inKano, his group would have made the city ungovernable a long time ago.Alleges persecution Qaqa said: “The message here is thateverybody knows that a lot of our people were killed in Kano State, especially in Wudiltown. We had perfected plans to take revenge but some notable scholars intervened by pleading with us.“They also assured that our members would never be persecuted again and we took them by their words. Unfortunately,however, about five months ago, securityagencies began trailing and arresting ourmembers who are carrying out their legitimate businesses, alleging that they are all thieves and armed robbers.“Again, we perfected plans to attack the city of Kano but the scholars pleaded that we should not. They advised that we should write a formal letter of complaint to some notable people. We agreed and sent letters to the Emir of Kano, Wamban Kano, DanMasanin Kano and the governor of KanoState.“We also posted the open letter on the internet, but nothing was done to stop the persecution of our members.“Recently, security agencies launched a freshonslaught on some of our members in Kano city in which even women and childrenwere not spared. Many houses were raided and a pregnant woman was manhandled.‘We respected Kano’“Some of our members were tortured with electric shock. All these things happened inKano, a city that we hold in high esteem.“We have varied opinions about Kano,including the option of launching endless campaign of violence, but the scholars that have been talking to us are still persuading us to tarry a while.“We are compelled to write this open letter so that the world will know what is happening.