But an audio speech purporting to be from Shekau criticized al-Barnawi and said IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi did not respond to several letters from Shekau explaining that al-Barnawi is “an infidel” preaching “false creeds”.
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The BBC reported Mr.al-Barnawi, who was previously the spokesman for the Boko Haram terrorists, was featured in the latest issue of an ISIS magazine. In the interview, he is referred to as the “governor” of the West Africa Province, which would make him leader of Boko Haram.
His authoritarian reputation includes bragging about his power and the killing of his own troops at the slightest evidence of misdeeds, the New York-based news website Sahara Reporters noted.
“People should know we are still around”, Shekau said in the 10-minute message on Thursday.
The Nigerian military, which has retaken most of the land captured by Boko Haram in 2014, told the Nigerian news agency NAP that the news of the group’s new leader was just a cry for attention from a severely weakened organization.
Under Shekau, the seven-year insurgency spread to neighbouring countries, killed more than 20,000 people and drove more than 2.2 million from their homes.
And a Nigerian security analyst said he believed Shekau was still alive, but that ISIL may be seeking to clean up Boko Haram’s reputation among extremists by ousting a leader seen as disorganised and unreliable.
The New York Times notes that al-Barnawi does not mention Shekau during the interview, but does condemn some Boko Haram tactics that became increasingly common under Shekau, notably the bombing of mosques and markets. He said “there are strong indications that Boko Haram is re-strategizing, not surrendering”.
“Boko Haram has lost its prestige and become hard to control (under Shekau)”.
Months later the Islamic State claimed Shekau had been replaced with al-Barnawi.
A split has reportedly emerged among one of the most deadly Islamist groups in the world. The group attacked Cameroon, Baga and Chad as well.
The group recently pledged allegiance to Daesh, which is operating mainly in Syria and Iraq.
“Despite this optimism, I want to say that it is also a moment of reflection for the graduands as much is expected of them to impact positively on society’s challenges”.
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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.
