The DAESH terrorist group on Tuesday announced the appointment of its new “governor” for West Africa, a title they use in reference to the leader of its affiliated Boko Haram militant group.
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The report made no mention of Abubakar Shekau, who was previously known as the leader of the sect.
Fulan Nasrullah, a top Boko Haram analyst, told Anadolu Agency: “Shekau has removed his group away from ISWAP [Islamic State’s West Africa Province]”. Known for his blustery, braggart manner, he has been declared killed by Nigerian forces several times, only to reappear in Boko Haram propaganda videos.
But in his message, Shekau took aim at Al Barnawi, dismissing him as an infidel who condones living in an un-Islamic society without waging war. “We will never cause any discord among the people, we will live by the Koran”, he said.
The disputed leader of Boko Haram has said he is still in charge of Nigeria’s militant Islamist group despite a statement by so-called Islamic State that he had been replaced.
Under Shekau, the seven-year campaign spread to neighbouring countries, killed more than 20,000 people and drove more than 2.2 millon from their homes.
The schoolgirls are seen as a powerful bargaining chip for the terrorist group, whose base has been significantly weakened.
“Even if they say they will not be attacking mosques, people are not going to believe it, because they know how unsafe this group is”, says DW correspondent Al-Amin.
The Nigerian military has reported killing Shekau on multiple occasions, only to later confirm that the person they killed was an impersonator, of which Shekau, at his peak, had many.
However, Security Expert, Ona Ekhomu in a statement issued on Thursday urged the Federal Government to consider the appointment of Al-Barnawi as a very serious and unsafe development in the ongoing war against terrorism and insurgency.
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In the struggle for control Boko Haram factions could turn on each other, further splitting the insurgents who have been beaten back from their strongholds in northern Nigeria over the past year, mainly since the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
