MILITARY commanders believe that Boko Haram leader Sheikh Abubakar Shekau may have been fatally wounded or even killed in a recent Nigerian Air Force (Naf) strike on his camp in Borno State last Friday.
Over recent weeks, Naf has stepped up air strikes on Boko Haram's bases in its stronghold Sambisa Forest and the rest of Borno State. Senior military commanders believe that the most recent raid may have killed the terrorist leader, although they admit there was no way to confirm the claim.
In the past, Nigerian security forces have on at least three occasions declared that they have killed or fatally wounded Shekau, only to have him resurface in video and audio recordings. However, the military has said in the past that Boko Haram was using look-alike fighters to impersonate the supposedly dead leader.
This time around though Nigerian Army spokesman Col Sani Usman, said the strikes were part of the most unprecedented and spectacular air raid carried out by the Nigerian Air Force. He added that they took place while Shekau was praying on Friday at Taye village in Sambisa Forest.
Col Usman said: “Those Boko Haram terrorist commanders confirmed dead include Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman, amongst others. While their leader, so-called Abubakar Shekau, is believed to be fatally wounded on his shoulders and several other terrorists were also wounded."
Nigeria's Army made this assertion as US secretary of state John Kerry met with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss Islamic extremism and regional security. Yesterday, Mr Kerry met with several governors in Sokoto but made no reference to the army’s report.
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