As reported by CBS News, the most likely explanation is that there has been a split in Boko Haram and al-Barnawi is the leader of the new faction that is linked to Islamic State.
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The Arabic-language newspaper al-Nabaa identified Abu Musab Barnawi as the new “Wali”, a title previously used to describe longtime leader Abubakar Shekau.
Furthermore, al-Barnawi said that Boko Haram “remained a force to be reckoned with” and that it had been bringing in new recruits.
Al-Barnawi accused the West of spreading Christianity to the African region and also said that charities are helping them to do that. Chadian and Nigerien soldiers took the town from Boko Haram militants earlier this week.
Boko Haram, which has lost most of the territory it controlled 18 months ago, is fighting to overthrow Nigeria’s government. In the wake of those advances, Boko Haram has diverted to even more asymmetrical warfare, including strapping bombs to young girls and sending them to crowded mosques and marketplaces where they are detonated.
A Nigerian security analyst said he believed Shekau is alive, but that ISIS may be seeking to clean up Boko Haram’s reputation among jihadists, by getting rid of a leader seen as disorganised and unreliable.
By contrast, ISIS, the terror group to which Boko Haram reportedly pledged allegiance in March 2015, was responsible for 6,073 deaths. It named Abu Musab al-Barnawi.
The intelligence firm SITE, which monitors the online activities of terrorist groups, says the magazine gave no information on the status of Boko Haram’s previous leader, Abubakar Shekau.
In the past, Shekau constantly saw the need to reassure Nigerians and the world of his existence and leadership of the group.
Boko Haram seeks to establish an Islamic state adhering to strict Sharia law in Africa’s biggest economy.
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Although the activities of the group have become less following ardent attacks and counter attacks by the Nigerian military, they recently launched attacks against regional security forces.
