The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnati Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, Saturday threatened to visit Sokoto, the seat of the caliphate, with deadly attacks over alleged clampdown on its members in the city just like it did in Kano where over 200 persons were killed in a wave of bombings recently. The threat came on a day 11 suspected members of the group were shot dead by soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) at a checkpoint in Maiduguri, Borno State capital. Spokesman of the group, Abul-Qaga, alleged that security agents have arrested “many” of their members in Sokoto and called for their immediate release. Abul-Qaga called on senior citizens from Sokoto and neighbouring states to intervene in order to avert the replication of what he described as “the big attack in Kano State.” Qaqa, who spoke to journalists on phone Saturday said, “This is an open letter to the Emir of Sokoto (Sultan of Sokoto), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and the Acting Governor of Sokoto State. “Before we visited Kano, we wrote an open letter to senior citizens there on the imperative of releasing our members but nobody cared to talk. Indeed, we sent three warnings to Kano before we struck.” According to the Boko Haram spokesman, “What happened in Kano will be inevitable in Sokoto unless you (Sultan and others) intervene and ensure the immediate and unconditional release of our members who were specifically arrested in the city of Sokoto on Thursday.” Qaqa faulted the call for dialogue by President Goodluck Jonathan, saying: “There is gross inconsistency in all the proclamations of the Nigerian leader. Our members are being trailed and killed on one hand, and on the other hand, some people are telling us to surrender our arms and come out. This is impossible.” Meanwhile, 11 members of the group were shot dead by soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) at a checkpoint in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, Saturday. It was gathered that the members of the dreaded sect were stopped at one of the checkpoints in the ancient city by security agents but instead of succumbing to the search of their vehicle they engaged the security men in gun battle. In the gun battle, which lasted for some minutes, 11 suspected sect members were felled and one sustained serious injuries. Source could however not confirm the number of casualties from the side of the security agencies. Confirming the incident in a telephone interview with journalists, the operations officer of the JTF, Col. Victor Ebhaleme said 11 members of the Boko Haram sect were killed today (Saturday) and one injured and receiving medical attention at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). Ebhaleme said: "I can confirm to you that the JTF have at the early hours of this morning (yesterday) during a gun battle shot dead 11 high-profile Boko Haram members at the usual stop and search operation." He added that "apart from the 11 shot dead, one of the sect members survived with bullet injuries and he is being attended to at the UMTH." He advised residents of the areas of the state where curfew has been imposed to desist from violating it. He warned that "anyone that is seen during the curfew hours on the road without any convincing identification would be made to face the full wrath of the law." In a related development, the Kano State police command has confirmed that Boko Haram members attacked Man-dawari police station Friday night and killed one police officer. State commissioner of police Ibrahim Idris said the gunmen drove two vehicles, a brand of Toyota Hilux and Golf, with others on motorcycles attacked the Mandawari police station. The police commissioner explained that: “The police recovered AK 47 loaded with ammunitions believed to be for the sect members,” adding that “some of the sect members sustained injuries but no arrest has been made.” Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, on a visit to Kano Saturday, expressed satisfaction with the level of performance of the doctors who are treating the victims of the bomb blast in the state. Chukwu explained that federal government may consider taking victims abroad for treatment if there is the need.