Nigeria and Cameroon were, yesterday, locked in an
argument over who killed Boko Haram leader Abubakar
Shekau and where he was killed.
In a rare public show by the Cameroonian army (Armee
Camerounaise), photos of Shekau were made public alongside
a statement claiming he was killed during a cross-border raid
deep inside Nigeria by its military.
A Cameroon military source, according to Cameroon Concord,
said on Sunday night that Shekau was killed following an aerial
bombardment of his hideout inside Nigeria.
On the other hand,
the Nigerian Army is
also laying claim to
the same feat but
without
photographic
evidence yet. The
Nigerian Army said
its soldiers might
have killed Shekau
in Konduga, a town
some kilometres
away from
Maiduguri, the
Borno State capital.
According to a
report posted on its
twitter handle, DHQ
said yesterday that,
“there was no raid
whatsoever in any
part of Nigeria’s
territory in pursuit of terrorists as claimed in some reports
allegedly quoting Cameroon military authorities.
“All operations on-going in the environs of Konduga and all
associated border locations within the country are completely
being undertaken by Nigerian troops.”
Reportedly, the Cameroon armed forces since Sunday have
been in serious combat against thousands of Boko Haram
fighters trying to enter Cameroon via Fotokol from Gamboru
Ngala in Nigeria.
This came amid confusion over Shekau’s identity as military
experts are trying to ascertain whether the dead ‘Shekau’ was
Isa Damsaka or Bashir Mohammed, who are both top
commanders believed to be posing as Shekau.
Meanwhile, efforts to exchange some of the abducted Chibok
school girls with Boko Haram prisoners have flopped again.
The Nigerian military claimed that its troops might have killed
Shekau on September 17 during a desperate attempt by the
sect to capture Konduga as part of their plot to eventually
march on and capture Maiduguri.
“It is getting more certain that the terrorist commander who
has been mimicking Shekau in those videos is the one killed in
Konduga on September 17, 2014, the military revealed.
The military, however, cautioned that “the process of
confirming the dead body we have is the same as that
character who has been posing as Shekau is ongoing. He is
definitely a prominent terrorist commander. I don’t want to
say anything about this yet, please.”
The military source insisted that the resemblance between
Shekau and the corpse in their custody is too striking to be a
coincidence. They cited his facial marks, beard and teeth in
addition to the recovery by Nigerian troops of some of the
armoured vehicles and Hilux SUVs that had featured in
previous videos of the prime suspect. The source assured that
the Defence Headquarters will soon address the nation after
full investigation of their latest discovery.
The counter-claims by both countries have raised some
posers: Who actually killed Shekau and where was he killed
and how authentic are the claims?
Confusion over Shekau’s identity
Indeed, confusion reigns supreme over Shekau’s identity.
Strident efforts by the Nigerian military high command to
establish the true identity of the top Boko Haram leader who
was shot dead last week, continued in earnest yesterday, even
as the video of the slain man was obtained exclusively by
Vanguard.
The military, it was learnt, had been cautious in making a
formal announcement that Shekau had been killed as a
similar declaration last year, was instantly countered by the
sect, following the emergence of another ‘Shekau’ in several
video posts on the Internet.
Vanguard gathered from top security sources that although a
bearded man, who resembled Shekau in several material
details, was shot dead in Konduga last week, the military was
not sure whether the slain man was Isa Damsaka or Bashir
Mohammed, who the security agencies claim had been
mimicking the real Abubakar Shekau, said to have been killed
since June 2013.
The apparent fear over the death of Shekau, in the battle for
Konduga, it was also learnt, has caused some disquiet in the
Boko Haram camp, especially as the video of the dead
commander surfaced on the internet yesterday.
In the six-second video, the critically wounded ‘Shekau’ was
seen lying on the ground writhing in pains as men in military
uniform and civilians surround him with some voices saying,
“Waste that man! Waste that man!”
However, the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis, who
claims to have worked closely with Abubakar Shekau, said
yesterday that he was convinced that the real Shekau was
killed since June 2013 by the Nigerian security agencies.
Shekau killed June 2013 — Davis
Davis, in a mail to Vanguard, said that Abubakar Shekau was
killed around June 19, 2013 while they were close to
concluding a peace deal on the Boko Haram insurgency.
Davis said: “I continue to hold to the position that Shekau was
killed on or about June 19, 2013 when we were close to
concluding a peace deal. Videos immediately prior to that
time were produced using a “fake” Shekau. The fake Skekau is
Isa Damsaka. It was confirmed to me by Boko Haram that he
was killed in the recent military engagement at Konduga.
“Most members of Boko Haram have never seen Shekau. They
believe what they have been told that Shekau is their leader.
The real Shekau is dead. The Shekau the world has been
seeing in videos is a “fake” and Boko Haram fighters have
been fooled. They have followed blindly.
“The message of Boko Haram purifying Islam is also fake.
When the Boko Haram leaders broke the news of Shekau’s
death in June last year, they said he had diverted from the
Holy Qu’ran through the kidnappings, rapes and beheadings.
The fake Shekau continued these atrocities under the
patronage of the sponsors and escalated their terrorist
activities. Shekau is dead but they will try to find another to
perpetuate the lie.
“This is the time for Boko Haram commanders to come
forward and release the captive girls. There are Chibok girls
and many other girls who have been kidnapped. Let
commanders come forward and release a large number of
girls as a first step towards a peace dialogue.
“I have no doubt the sponsors will try to prevent any
commander releasing the girls as part of a peace deal. The
pressure must therefore be put on the sponsors so the
commanders can come forward.
“Shekau was killed on or about June 19, 2013 as we were
concluding a peace deal. I have spoken at length to several
senior people who were present. The Shekau impersonator
recently killed was Isa Damsaka. Boko Haram leaders have
been using him for quite some time to make their propaganda
videos. The script is written for him by another commander
which he then reads as he delivers his message on-camera.”
How Shekau was killed
Details of how Abubakar Shekau, the impostor and leader of
the Boko Haram terrorist group was killed in a shoot-out with
Nigerian troops in Konduga on Wednesday, September 17
emerged, yesterday, with military sources disclosing that he
met his waterloo in an ambush reminiscent of the type the
sect had been using to hack down Nigerian troops.
Vanguard gathered that during the first attack on Konduga,
where hundreds of insurgents were taken unawares and killed
after over seven hours of fighting with several of their
colleagues, arms and ammunition captured, the military
commanders strategically urged his captured members to
send a message to Shekau that they (insurgents) have killed
the troops.
Before the captured insurgents were urged to make the
contact and deliver the message, the military commanders
had promised them that their co-operation would play a role
in the level of punishment to be meted to them after the
battle, hence they felt reassured.
Also, the captured insurgents had disclosed that Shekau
usually moved in a convoy of cars painted in military colours
while he sits in a MOWAG Armoured tank with Boko Haram
inscription on its front.
When Shekau was contacted, his captured men spoke to him
in Arabic, assuring him that they had taken over Konduga,
thereby giving him the positive signal to proceed from
Sambisa Forest. To convince him further, some of his men that
were captured were asked to sing the victory song in Kanuri
language they normally sing at the background.
Having convinced himself that the messenger was his chief
courier in such situation and the message was authentic, he
and his followers made for Konduga, heavily armed with anti-
aircraft weapons, general purpose machine guns, several
AK-47 rifles and other IEDS’.
However, on entering Konduga town, he and his followers
were encircled by strategically placed and heavily armed
Nigerian soldiers. Immediately he contacted the messenger
and discovered that something was amiss, he ordered his
followers to start shooting in all directions.
This spurred the Army Commanders to give the directive to
open fire. When he discovered that the fire power of the
Nigerian Army who used both infantry and artillery weaponry
was overwhelming, he jumped out of the MOWAG and made
to escape.
But Nigerian soldiers spotted him and opened fire on him,
inflicting serious injuries on his legs. It was learnt that he also
received bullet wounds in other parts of his body as he was
said to have bled to death.
Military sources had on Sunday night disclosed that Nigerian
troops scored a strategic victory in the current battle against
terrorists operating in the North-East on September 17.
Swap of Chibok girls with Boko Haram prisoners flops again
Meanwhile, it has also emerged that efforts of the security
agencies to free the 219 Chibok girls from their Boko Haram
captors has failed again.
Vanguard learnt from top security agents that the deal to free
the girls, who have spent 162 days with their abductors, had
broken down almost irretrievably as a result of the
inexplicable decision by the Boko Haram side to ask for
impossible conditions.
One of the conditions put down by Boko Haram at the last
minute was that the Federal Government must account for
and produce 18 of its top commanders said to have been
captured and detained in several detention facilities across
the country.
Although the government was willing to free some of the Boko
Haram detainees in exchange for the girls, a top government
source, who was privy to the discussions, said that many of
the Boko Haram commanders could not be traced.
The top government official said: “Boko Haram commanders
suddenly demanded an equal man-to-man exchange instead
of the agreed total girls for 16 Boko Haram prisoners. Also, of
the 16 prisoners, not all of them could be traced by the
government side.
“The exchange of the Chibok girls with the Boko Haram
prisoners was to take place at an agreed location in Yola, the
Adamawa State capital. But the true position of things as of
today is that the talks have broken down.”
Answering a question, the government official said that
Nigeria opted to bring in the International Committee of the
Red Cross as a facilitator because of its neutrality and
competence in facilitating such exchange of prisoners in many
parts of the world.