Nigeria: Boko Haram Leader, Shekau Feared Killed

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram Islamist sect, has reportedly died from gunshot wounds he received during one of the recent clashes with the military.

According to a statement issued and signed by the spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Lt Col. Sagir Musa, Shekau had sustained a mortal wound on June 30 in the northeast Sambisa forest from the military's superior arsenals. But the statement was not detailed about the incident, especially the whereabouts of his remains.

According to Sagir, "Shekau died of gunshot wound received in an encounter with the JTF troops in one of their camps at Sambisa forest on 30 June 2013. Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide - a border community in Cameroun - for treatment which he never recovered.

"It is greatly believed that Shekau might have died between 25 July and 3 August, 2013. He was reported to have masterminded the kidnap of seven French citizens and that of the elder statesman Alhaji (Dr) Shettima Ali Monguno in addition to many murders of Islamic clerics in Northern Nigeria. He was also responsible for bombings of many places of worship and public buildings including Police and United Nations headquarters in Abuja. The JTF wishes to appeal to the sect members to lay down their arms and embrace the Federal Government's offer for dialogue."

A security source explained that Shekau was hurriedly rushed away from the war front with the mortal multiple wounds sustained to a Cameroonian village for treatment where he eventually gave up the ghost.

All efforts made to get official confirmation from the Defence Headquarters were fruitless as the director of information, Brig. Gen Chris Olukolade, could not pick his call or respond to the text messages sent to his phone.

But a highly placed security source said, "We are still waiting for official signals from our officers in Maiduguri or any of the neighbouring states. We have been hearing that unofficial report from different sources."

Last week, the military reported that MomoduBama, the second-in-command to Shekau, had fallen to the superior power of its force.

The news was broken by the Defence Headquarters in a statement issued and signed by its spokesman, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, who reiterated the commitment of the military to put an end to terrorism in the country as soon as possible.