The notorious Islamic terror group Boko Haram has claimed it has set up an Islamic State in besieged Nigerian towns and villages.
A video released by the group showed IS leader, Abubakar Shekau, congratulating his fighters for seizing the town of Gwoza earlier this month, the BBC reports.
However it remains unclear whether Shekau has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, which holds large swaths of Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile, in response to Boko Haram's claims, Nigeria's military spokesman Chris Olukolade dismissed the outfit's declaration saying that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state was still intact.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in north-eastern Nigeria since the beginning of Boko Haram's insurgency.
With a population of 265, 000, Gwoza is the largest town under the control of the Islamist militant group.