Simultaneously, the military believes that Boko Haram was using fighters who resembled Abubakar Shekau to impersonate him after he was deemed dead.
Advertisement
Nigerian security forces first claimed to have killed Shekau in 2009.
An army spokesman said warplanes struck as the militants met for Friday prayers last week at a village deep within the Sambisa forest in Borno State.
Nigeria’s military said they had confirmed that senior Boko Haram leaders Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman were killed.
The air force also said that during another attack, jet fighters killed about 300 terrorists, who had gathered to hold a meeting at a location between Malam Fatori and Kangarwa in Borno State.
On his first stop in the northern city of Sokoto, the top USA diplomat said the struggle against Boko Haram would only succeed if it tackled the reasons why people join militant groups and gained the public’s trust.
Kerry, speaking this morning in northern Sokoto city, made no reference to the army’s report. Regional countries have created a joint military force in helping Nigeria fight the terrorist group.
Kerry took the opportunity to speak out against the ill-treatment of escaped Boko Haram captives, stating: “breaking the cycle of violence requires treating those who escape or defect from Boko Haram, and particularly those who were abducted against their will, with sensitivity as they return to their old communities”.
A video showing dozens of the girls last Sunday said Shekau is willing to negotiate a prisoner swap for detained Boko Haram commanders. It has been marked by deadly attacks and suicide bombings at schools, mosques and marketplaces and mass abductions including almost 300 schoolgirls taken from a remote school in northeastern Chibok town in April 2014. Authorities said in May that one of the missing girls had been found and Buhari vowed to rescue the others.
The UN children’s fund (UNICEF) says some 49,000 Nigerian children could die of malnutrition in the country’s troubled northeast this year if they are not provided with humanitarian aid.
The war between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government has left at least 20,000 people dead in six years and made more than 2.6 million homeless.
At that time, the Islamic State declared Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of founder Yusuf, the new “governor” of Boko Haram. Shekau has insisted he is still in charge.
Advertisement
Since Boko Haram pledged support to Islamic State previous year, the group appears to have split into two main factions: one led by Mr. Shekau and another-backed by Islamic State-led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi.
