During that period, the argument that ensued between the Nigerian Army and its Cameroonian counterpart made many Nigerians easily believe that Shekau was truly dead; a Cameroon military source declared, with photo evidence that the country’s army killed the Boko Haram leader following an aerial bombardment of his hideout inside Nigeria.
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While the extremist militants were engaging in their Friday prayers in their jihadist main base in Sambisa forest, the Nigerian army struck the area with an air raid killing about 300 militants along with their leader.
Kerry also expressed U.S. deep commitment to working with its partners like Nigeria, to be able to build counter-terrorism capacities while disclosing that, it has worked out counter-terrorism strategies for implementation globally.
“Prior to this fateful day the NAF, on 16 August 2016, had commenced series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to corroborate human intelligence that key BHT commanders gather at the said location to hold meeting at night”.
“Kerry made the disclosure in Sokoto at the Sultan’s palace where he delivered a speech entitled:” The importance of resilient communities and religious tolerance in countering violent extremism”. He called also for empathy even for former Boko Haram fighters.
Since 2014 saw #BringBackOurGirls, numerous girls managed to escape, but the whereabouts of approximately 218 girls remain unknown.
The 270 Chibok girls were kidnapped from their schools in April of 2014.
Recall, shortly after the United States authorities declared Abubakar Shekau wanted and placed a $7 million bounty on him in 2013, the same Nigerian Army announced that Shekau was believed to have been shot on 30 June, when soldiers raided a Boko Haram base at Sambisa Forest in north-eastern Nigeria. The situation for many of those who have managed to escape the clutches of Boko Haram remains delicate.
Shekau started the uprising in 2009 that has killed 20,000 people, driven more than 2.2 million from their homes, spread across Nigeria’s borders and, in Kerry’s words, “flung some seven million Nigerians into hunger, thirst, and desperate need”.
Boko Haram appears to be fractured by a leadership struggle after the Islamic State group recently announced it had a new leader. Shekau has insisted he is still in charge.
Shekau pledged allegiance previous year to the Islamic State, although connections between the groups remain unclear.
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Boko Haram, which means “Western education is forbidden”, resurfaced as a deadly force under Shekau, who took over after a military raid on the group’s compound in Maiduguri killed some 700 people and leader Mohammed Yusuf was killed in police custody.
