“By the way, don’t believe the cheap propaganda by the global terrorist group, ISIS, which has reportedly named a new leader for Boko Haram”.
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Shekau’s message is coming after a year of silence which clearly confirmed the ideological differences and friction in Boko Haram hierarchy and failure to resolve their differences, a situation which might have led to the Islamic State declaring Abu Musab al-Banawi as the new leader of the deadly sect.
Shekau explained in an audio recording, purported to be of his voice, that Baghdadi not respond to letters explaining that al-Barnawi is “an infidel” who is propagating “false creeds”.
Boko Haram has fought to establish a strict Islamic state in northern Nigeria since 2009, and killed an estimated 20,000 people.
In his 10-minute-long message he said he was deceived, but will never stray away from the ideology of his group.
He said the military was certain that Boko Haram was “in disarray and collapsing”.
Military officials told BBC that this division is a sign of weakness within the Nigerian terrorist group and could be a signal of its collapse in the near future. Zenn said al-Barnawi is the pseudonym of a Nigerian militant who has threatened journalists.
Shekau in March 2015 pledged allegiance to al-Baghdadi and gave IS its first franchise in sub-Saharan Africa.
A United Nations security expert based in Maiduguri said that “massive movement” of the group around the borders between Nigeria, Chad and Niger in the past few weeks and new attacks on the army and a United Nations convoy suggested that its top echelons have been reorganised.
The interview with al-Barnawi indicates a major shift in strategy for the Nigerian extremists, who have killed many more Muslims than Christians in attacks in mosques with suicide bombers and gunmen.
The Ansaru split happened awhile ago, and ISIS’ statement may escalate that fracturing of the Boko Haram movement.
“Strategic decisions such as leadership appointments are made by the spiritual leader of a terrorist group”.
Boko Haram became the most powerful military force in northeast Nigeria majorly because if its impoverishment.
It was not clear why the change has taken place and what Shekau’s fate would be.
When he appeared in a Boko Haram video in January 2015 as the group’s spokesman, he wore a turban and his face was blurred out and it was filmed as a sit-down studio interview.
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Abubakar Shekau’s outburst clearly shows that there are deep disagreements, which could translate into clashes between the foot soldiers loyal to the two leaders.
