/ 08 June 2021

Boko Haram leader dead

Allegedly… Rival Islamist terrorist group Iswap says Abubakar Shekau has been killed, but it isn’t the first time the claim has been made. There’s been no confirmation so far from Boko Haram or the Nigerian government. But according to audio received by news agencies, Shekau killed himself after declining to join the rival group when he was cornered by them in Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram’s traditional stronghold. Shekau took the reins of Boko Haram in 2009, transforming it from an underground movement to a group known for staging bombings, kidnappings and prison breaks across the region. But 2 years after Shekau started making moves to establish an African Islamic State in 2014, ISIS split with Boko Haram to form Iswap, the biggest insurgent group in the region. While it’s uncertain if Shekau’s death will spell the end for Boko Haram, some commentators are hopeful it will stop the violence between the 2 groups.

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