Abuja:
Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau killed himself in a fight against rival jihadist fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) according to audio AFP obtained from the group Sunday, two weeks just after reports emerged that he had died.
“Shekau preferred to be humiliated in the hereafter to getting humiliated on earth. He killed himself instantly by detonating an explosive,” a voice speaking in the Kanuri language resembling that of ISWAP leader Abu Musab Al-Barnawi mentioned.
The audio was provided to AFP by the exact same supply who sent earlier messages from the group.
Boko Haram has not but officially commented on the death of their leader, who waged a more than decade-lengthy insurgency in northeast Nigeria, though the Nigerian army mentioned it was investigating the claim.
ISWAP described in the audio how it sent out fighters to Boko Haram’s enclave in the Sambisa forest, who located Shekau sitting inside his home and engaged him in a firefight.
“From there he retreated and escaped, ran and roamed the bushes for five days. However, the fighters kept searching and hunting for him before they were able to locate him,” the voice mentioned.
After locating him in the bush, ISWAP fighters urged him and his followers to repent, the voice added, but Shekau refused and killed himself.
“We are so happy,” the voice mentioned, adding that Shekau was “someone who committed unimaginable terrorism and atrocities.”
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