The Nigerian Army seems to have “fatally wounded” Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau “on the shoulder” after it announced, yesterday, that it carried out an airstrike on Boko Haram positions in Sambisa forest. “Fatally” which can be loosely translated to “leading to death,” probably makes Shekau a cat with nine lives. Speaking last Friday, the Army Chief Spokesman, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, said the Nigerian Air Force bombed a mosque deep in a village in the Sambisa forest, while Boko Haram militants were observing their Friday prayers. About 300 of these militants were killed, including other Boko Haram commanders, and others like Shekau escaped with “fatal wounds.” As usual, this has thrown up questions about the veracity of these claims, especially when there is no evidence to prove these deaths.
Here are some of the mixed reactions to the news on twitter:
The Nigerian army killed Abubakar Shekau…he was reborn and they now fatally injured him…because unforgiveness
— Imoh Umoren (@ImohUmoren) August 23, 2016
If air strike still can’t kill Abubakar Shekau then am done
— Dr NomSo (@ani_nomso) August 23, 2016
Guess there are so many Shekau, one was killed before and now another injured, hope another one will surrender #BBOG
— #BringBackOurGirls (@gideonsilver) August 23, 2016
Good Job
Hope later Shekau won’t release his own video debunking your Claims https://t.co/iY8h6NxBXL— Ruthless Analyst (@RuthlessAnalyst) August 23, 2016
Is this another Shekau dead/not dead story?
Abubakar Shekau, notorious leader of Boko Haram, has been killed by the Nigerian Army not less than four times in the past two years. It was even claimed, once upon a time, that the name “Shekau” was a title for any Boko Haram leader. Still some Nigerians doubted theseclaims, as not everyone was as gullible as the Army thought. Shekau released an audio recording two weeks ago, after news emerged he had been replaced. Now, from all reports, Boko Haram has two factions, with devoted followers, led by two different individuals, meaning Shekau’s death does not really mean Boko Haram’s death. We are sure to hear soon from Shekau anyway, if the Nigerian army has been lying again.
The accuracy of more than three hundred militants being in one place at the same time
The Nigerian Army says it killed 300 militants while they were praying. If it was able to ascertain the presence of militants in the forest, probably through satellite imaging or just reliable intelligence, surely they should be able to provide pictures to the general public to verify that claim. After all, it was a coincidence that militants just happened to be praying together in the same mosque on Friday, knowing they are being hunted by the Nigerian army in the forest where many of their members had been killed before. So convenient for the Nigerian Army, and very unfortunate for the terrorists. The intel must have been very good if, truly, that was the case.
Where is this great intel for the missing Chibok girls?
The Nigerian Army can secure good intelligence for where some of the most wanted terrorists on earth were praying, but haven’t been able to find where the Chibok girls are being kept. Agreed, Boko Haram’s greatest bargaining chip are, perhaps, the Chibok girls and their location will be more difficult to ascertain than Shekau, but surely, if they could get intel for Shekau’s hideout, they should be able to for the girls. Or is this just an attempt to gloss over the issue of the Chibok girls rescue, once again initiated by the appearance of an apparently doctored video of dead Chibok girls last week?
The trust many Nigerians placed on the Nigerian Army seems to have eroded and they only appear to restore it a bit through tiny pockets of victories here and there in their fight against Boko Haram. Let’s just hope this news is really true this time.
