Security Forces Confident of Shekau’s Death

The Nigerian army is confident that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is dead, Daily Trust gathered from military sources yesterday.

The military is said to have taken its time to analyze intelligence reports of Shekau’s death, before going ahead to announced that he was likely killed in a clash with security forces, between 23rd July and 30th August.

Spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Lt. Col Sagir Musa had in a statement on Monday announced that Shekau probably died at Amitchide, a border community in Cameroun, after suffering a mortal wound received in an encounter with JTF troops at the Simbisa forest on 30th June. Amitchide in Cameroun and Banki in Nigeria are a border twin community.

Sources explained that the Nigerian military intelligence working in conjunction with other international intelligence services analysed data, which led to the conclusion that Shekau is dead.

“Of course the matter of releasing videos of Shekau in the future to refute the claims of the Army is a possibility, but again intelligence analysis will be done to determine the authenticity of such videos and the time when they were recorded,” a source explained.

Shekau, who assumed the leadership of Boko Haram after the death of its leader Mohammed Yusuf in 2009, had released several videos claiming responsibility for various deadly attacks on security forces and civilians in Nigeria.

Shekau had been declared wanted by the Nigerian military, police and the United States government, which offered reward for assistance in his capture.