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.
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The spokesman for the Nigerian army, Sani Usman, announced that Abubakar Shekau was “fatally wounded”, August 19, during a air strike on their stronghold in the Sambisa forest in north-eastern Nigeria.
He said: “Boko Haram terrorist commanders confirmed dead include Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman, amongst others”.
Kerry was scheduled to meet President Muhammadu Buhari in the capital, Abuja, later on Tuesday to discuss: the threat posed by Boko Haram; the nation’s troubled economy; as well as bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United States. “But extremism can’t be defeated through repression or fear”, he said.
Nigeria claimed to have killed Shekau in several previous raids – only for the leader to surface shortly afterwards in videos.
Leader of the delegation, Rear Admiral Anwarul Islam, pointed out that the dramatic way in which the Nigerian military routed the erstwhile deadly Boko Haram in the last one year was worthy of commendation.
In a statement released Tuesday, the military says the airstrike “fatally wounded” Shekau but does not provide further details.
“Meanwhile, a man identified as the “spiritual leader” of Boko Haram in Nigeria” s northwestern state of Kano has been arrested, together with other insurgents plotting to carry out attacks in the country, security authorities said Monday.
President Obama said in October that 300 USA troops would be deployed to a secretive base in Cameroon, but administration officials have been loath to speak publicly about the extent of Washington’s involvement in military aspects of the campaign. The militants, believed to be still holding more than 200 of the girls they had kidnapped, demanded the government release some of its fighters in exchange for the girls. Shekau later appeared to contradict that account in a video message of his own. “Sheriff is more vulnerable to Boko haram because he has his three brothers killed by the sect”. However since May this year, Washington has been poised to sell the west African country 12 light attack aircraft, a deal that is awaiting approval in Congress.
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“There is nothing more demoralizing, more destructive, and more disempowering to any citizen than the belief that the system is created to fail them”, Kerry said.
