Boko Haram Leader Presumed Dead

By Newsfromafrica

Leader of Nigeria’s dreaded militant Islamist Group Boko Haram may have been killed by the security forces during a shoot-out, army officials say.

An “intelligent report” by the security forces show that AbubakarShekau, leader of Boko Haram may have died between 25 July and 3 August, army spokesman Lt-Col Sagir Musa said.Shekau is believed to have been shot on 30 June, according to the intelligence report, when soldiers raided a Boko Haram hideout at Sambisa forest in north-eastern Nigeria.

"Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide - a border community in Cameroon for treatment... It is greatly believed that Shekau might have died between 25 July to 3 August 2013," Col Musa said.

The army has just announced it is taking over what has been a Joint Task Force comprised of all branches of the military and police. 

The statement  went further ahead to report that a video on the leader released on 13 August was dramatised by an imposter to hoodwink the sect members to continue with the terrorism. On 14 August, the military said it had killed Boko Haram's second-in-command, MomoduBama, also known by his alias "Abu Saad".

Boko Haram is yet to comment on claims by the army, or neither has it independently verified deaths of both Shekau orBama.

The group, which is loosely found on native Hausa and extreme Muslim tenets has been waging war insurgency in Northern Nigeria, a predominantly Muslim region they want to establish rule.

This is the second time Shekau is claimed to have been killed, following reports of his death in 2009 that turned out to be untrue. The US had put a bounty of $7m on Shekau’s head, among two other leaders of the group it enlisted in its terror list.

President Goodluck Jonathan declared an emergency in three north-eastern states in May, following sporadic attacks by the group members.

More than 3000 people have died in attacks related to the group since when it first launched its uprising.

The group became more brutal under Shekau’s leadershipafter its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, died in police custody in 2009, period during a brutal repression from government forces that seemed to have weakened its network.

The group continues to reject extensions of amnesty from the government, accusing it of acting in bad faith.