The leader of a Boko Haram faction, Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), Abubakar Shekau, has been confirmed dead by the intelligence community in Nigeria.
Shekau was killed after a clash between his men and fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Sambisa forest.
Official intelligence report (SITREP), yesterday, confirmed the terrorist leader died, last Wednesday evening, during a battle for supremacy.
It reads, “On May 19, 2021, about 1829hours, ISWAP top fighter, Baana Duguri – on this selector – geo-located around Sambisa forest, Pulka Gwoza LGA BRS, informed ISWAP logistics commander, Modu Sulum – geo-located opposite General Hospital, Konduga LGA, Borno State, that they killed Abubakar Shekau, overall Boko Haram leader in Sambisa forest.
“Duguri disclosed that the ISWAP fighters’ team surrounded the Boko Haram leader with his team and shooting ensued between the two factions. Duguri further added that Shekau detonated a bomb, and killed himself when he observed that the ISWAP fighters wanted to capture him alive.
“Furthermore, Duguri informed Sulum that the two sides also lost some fighters during the shooting. He averred that even, yesterday, ISWAP was pursuing Abubakar Shekau, and Shekau discarded his cap and ran, but today, the pursuit continued and he was finally killed. Duguri asked Modu Sulum if the other Boko Haram members, who fled, are returning to their houses.
“In his response, Sulum rejoiced over the death of Abubakar Shekau, and glorified God over the success. He also said few Boko Haram members are returning to their houses.”
The Defence Headquarters has placed all commands and formations in Borno State on alert.
There are fears the battle between Boko Haram and ISWAP would continue.
Sources said that a statement was being awaited as military spokespersons were currently attending a capacity building workshop at the Nigerian Army Resources Centre (NARC) in Abuja.
The ISWAP, an ISIS-backed splinter group of Boko Haram, has grown in membership, influence, and boasts of high-calibre weapons.
The sect operates from territories around Lake Chad, and now occupies some sections of the Sambisa forest after the deadly assault on Shekau.
Earlier, reports had indicated that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, was seriously wounded after trying to kill himself, to avoid capture during clashes with rival Islamic State-allied jihadists in the North of the country, two intelligence sources said, yesterday.
Shekau, who made international headlines when his men kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014, has been reported dead several times since Boko Haram first began its insurgency in 2009.
After a series of clashes, Shekau and some of his fighters were surrounded, last Wednesday, by ISWAP jihadists in Boko Haram’s Sambisa forest stronghold, where they demanded he surrender, one intelligence source said.
“To avoid capture, Shekau shot himself in the chest and the bullet pierced his shoulder,” the source said, adding, “He was badly injured.”
Some of his men managed to escape with him to an unknown destination, the source added.
A second intelligence source said that Shekau was critically wounded after detonating explosives in the house where he was holed up with his men.
The Nigerian Army officials did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation of the incident.
Shekau’s critical injury or death would be a blow to his Boko Haram faction, which has already been weakened by military air strikes on its bases and defections among his men.
More than 40,000 people have been killed and over two million displaced from their homes by the conflict in North-East Nigeria, and fighting has spread to parts of neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Boko Haram and ISWAP have fought battles for control of territory in the past.
ISWAP has emerged as the stronger force, carrying out complex attacks on the military and overrunning Army bases.
Shekau took over Boko Haram, formally known as the Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, after its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, was killed by the police in 2009.
Under Shekau’s leadership, Boko Haram turned large swathes of the North-East into a no-go territory, proclaiming a “caliphate” in Gwoza in 2014.
The insurgents also took control of about 18 local government areas in Borno State until 2015.
An offensive since 2015 by Nigerian troops backed by soldiers from Cameroon, Chad and Niger drove jihadists from most of the area that they had once controlled.
Angered by Shekau’s indiscriminate targeting of civilians and use of women and children suicide bombers, a rival faction broke away in 2016 to become ISWAP with the backing of the Islamic State group.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) under the new leadership of Abu-Musad Albarnawy has taken over all territories under the control of late Abubakar Shekau in a major revenge onslaught against the former Boko Haram leader.
Sources knowledgeable about the terrorists’ groups said the ISWAP faction has arrested 30 top commanders loyal to the late Boko Haram leader.
The Commanders include: Abdul Bash, Commander of Parisu; Abu Mujaheed, Commander of Sabil Huda; Mala Ali, Commander of Farisu; Amir Hassana, Commander of Garin Dambe; Malam Bako, Commander of Hizba; Amir Halid, Commander of Njimiya Falluja; Commander Garin Mala; Abu-Fatima, Commander of Gwashke; Kaka BK, Commander of Garin Abu Asmau.
Others are Alai Bukar, Commander of Mina Ngawri; Abu-Ubaida, Commander of Jungle Gabra in Pulka; Amir Abdulrahman, Commander of Gobara; Abu Muhammad, Commander of Alava; Ali Shara, Commander of Yuwe Hanyan Bama; Amir Huzayfa, Commander of Yuwe Hanyan Welcome; Abubakar Sarki, Commander of Yuwe Hanyan Konduga; Ibn Abbas, Commander of Barin Bulla Yaga; Ali Ngule, Commander of Madara Mountain, among others.
Others are Ummati Mai Shayi, Commander of Madara Mountain; Mala Musa Abuja, the Chief Bomb Maker; Mallam Bana Sharra, Chief Judge to Shekau faction, located at Garin Mala Hassan; Dr. Baba Konduga, Chief Medical Doctor, Alava Road; Ma’azu Dan Lokodisa, the Chief Prison Officer; Alai Abba, the Caretaker of Women, Children; Mala Musa, Chief Mechanic Officer, located at Parisu; Abu Zaid, Chief Bomb Maker, located at Parisu; Abu Aisha, Special Clearance Operations Unit, Fairs; Amir Okasha, Bomb Timer, Farisu; and Amir Awana; among others terrorists.
It was gathered that following the death of Shekau, ISWAP fighters in over 30 gun trucks and dozens of motorcycles stormed Sambisa forest, forcing the Boko Haram commanders loyal to Shekau to surrender or face instant execution.
The source added that after Abu-Musad Albarnawy, who had gone underground for a while now, was reportedly re-appointed as the new leader of ISWAP in the North-East war theatre by the ISIS leadership which has become the major source of strength for the insurgents.
The source further said ISWAP stormed Shekau’s camp’s general area “following massive protests against his leadership style after he had eliminated some top Boko Haram Commanders including, Abu-Fatima, his Chief of Staff, who doubled as the Operation Commander within the past one month”.
ISWAP then concluded that with all the mistakes, Shekau was derailing against the main cause they had charted for themselves and that it was time for him to be taken out by force of arms.
Also, Albarnawi, who claimed he had received directives from the ISIS, maintained that he had been designated by the Amir al Muminin (the IS Caliph) to take over and coordinate all activities of the insurgents under one umbrella for easy movement of funds, weapons, and materials.
“The ISWAP and Boko Haram have been engaged in several infighting for superiority among factions resulting in the elimination of dozens of Boko Haram fighters from both sides within the past five years”.