Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau Dead In Cameroon, Nigerian Military Chief Declares
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2013/08/boko-haram-leader-abubakar-shekau-dead.html
Nigeria's militant Islamist leader Abubakar Shekau may have been killed by the security forces during a shoot-out, an army spokesman has said.
An "intelligence report" showed that Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram group, may have died between July 25 and Aug 3, Lt-Col Sagir Musa said.
Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009, has not commented on the statement.
The US had put a bounty of US$$7m (4.6m) on Shekau's head.
In a press statement, the Joint Task Force (JTF) said that intelligence reports available to it revealed that Shekau may have died of gunshot wounds received in an encounter with JTF troops in one of their camps at Sambisa Forest on June 30, 2013.
It said: "Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide, a border community in Cameroon for treatment from which he never recovered.
"It is greatly believed that Shekau might have died between 25 July to 3 August, 2013."
According to Musa, Shekau was reported to have masterminded the kidnap of the seven French citizens and elder statesman Alhaji (Dr) Shettima Ali Monguno, in addition to many murders of Islamic clerics in Northern Nigeria.
He was also responsible for bombings of many places of worship and public buildings, including Police and United Nations Headquarters in Abuja.
The recent video released on Aug 13, 2013, on the sect leader was dramatized by an imposter to hoodwink the sect members to continue with the terrorism and to deceive the undiscerning minds.
The JTF therefore appealed to the sect members to lay down their arms and embrace the Federal Government's offer for dialogue.
On Aug 14, the military said it had killed Boko Haram's second-in-command, Momodu Bama, also known by his alias "Abu Saad".
Correspondents say there is no independent confirmation of Shekau's or Bama's death.
Thousands of people have died since Boko Haram began its insurgency in 2009.
A claim in 2009 that Shekau had been killed turned out to be untrue, they add.
He became leader of Boko Haram after its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, died in police custody in the same year.
The insurgency became far more brutal under Shekau's leadership, with Boko Haram carrying out a wave of bombings and abductions, including that of foreigners, in its campaign to create an Islamic state across Nigeria, correspondents say.
In May, President Goodluck Jonathan declared an emergency in three north-eastern states, saying the group threatened Nigeria's existence.
Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009, has not commented on the statement.
The US had put a bounty of US$$7m (4.6m) on Shekau's head.
In a press statement, the Joint Task Force (JTF) said that intelligence reports available to it revealed that Shekau may have died of gunshot wounds received in an encounter with JTF troops in one of their camps at Sambisa Forest on June 30, 2013.
It said: "Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide, a border community in Cameroon for treatment from which he never recovered.
"It is greatly believed that Shekau might have died between 25 July to 3 August, 2013."
According to Musa, Shekau was reported to have masterminded the kidnap of the seven French citizens and elder statesman Alhaji (Dr) Shettima Ali Monguno, in addition to many murders of Islamic clerics in Northern Nigeria.
He was also responsible for bombings of many places of worship and public buildings, including Police and United Nations Headquarters in Abuja.
The recent video released on Aug 13, 2013, on the sect leader was dramatized by an imposter to hoodwink the sect members to continue with the terrorism and to deceive the undiscerning minds.
The JTF therefore appealed to the sect members to lay down their arms and embrace the Federal Government's offer for dialogue.
On Aug 14, the military said it had killed Boko Haram's second-in-command, Momodu Bama, also known by his alias "Abu Saad".
Correspondents say there is no independent confirmation of Shekau's or Bama's death.
Thousands of people have died since Boko Haram began its insurgency in 2009.
A claim in 2009 that Shekau had been killed turned out to be untrue, they add.
He became leader of Boko Haram after its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, died in police custody in the same year.
The insurgency became far more brutal under Shekau's leadership, with Boko Haram carrying out a wave of bombings and abductions, including that of foreigners, in its campaign to create an Islamic state across Nigeria, correspondents say.
In May, President Goodluck Jonathan declared an emergency in three north-eastern states, saying the group threatened Nigeria's existence.
