traumatic death.That was the picture security forces painted at the
weekend. From the vast forests of Sambisa, Borno State, where he
was reportedly shot and sustained injuries in June during a raid on
his hideout by military forces, he was said to have been taken to
Mali for treatment by the Boko Haram top hierarchy.
In Mali, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Shekau’s situation soon
grew worse.
After consultations, the leadership of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna
Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means, “People
Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and
Jihad”, decided to move their boss to Cameroun.
“It was in Cameroun that the situation got out of hand.
“There, all known medical support that could be provided within
acceptable underground limits was mustered. But that was where
he gave up the ghost”, one of the security sources said.
The source added that a recent video recording allegedly released
by the sect showing Shekau calling the bluff of the US, Britain and
France and claiming that nobody could stop the group was a
smokescreen to paint the picture that he was still alive and in
control.
Indeed, the spectre of hopelessness was initially discarded as news
which first filtered out of the sect’s camp suggested that Shekau
could actually survive.
To buttress that air of invincibility, the publicized recording had to
be released to members of the public.
Sunday Vanguard was told that “if the sect members had had
access to modern medical facilities, Shekau may have survived.
But the leadership of Boko Haram was also sure that the military
was all out to get Shekau and, therefore, could not risk even a
disguised Shekau being taken to an hospital”, a source disclosed.
“In fact as I am talking to you now, we have it on good authority
that a close confidant of his (Shekau) who was mandated to follow
him and ensure he received proper treatment has been killed by
members of the
group for allowing the information of his death to get out”, the
source said.
Aside killing the confidant (aide), Sunday Vanguard was made to
understand that there was an intelligence report indicating that his
followers hurriedly buried his remains, in an attempt to hide the
death and paint a picture of invincibility around him so that they
would continue to use it to hoodwink sect members.
Sources said the death of Shekau and the likely response of Boko
Haram who may be mobilizing to hit back (revenge) through
bombings, kidnapping and killing of innocent citizens played a role
in the decision of the Federal Government to approve the
establishment of a new army division for the North-East, 7 Division,
with headquarters in Maiduguri.
Meanwhile, sustained attacks in some parts of the North-East, the
latest of which was the massacre of 44 persons in a village in Borno
State, on Friday, believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram,
lent credence to the claim that a new leader may be in command of
the sect.
Shekau’s deputy in the Boko Haram hierachy, Momodu Bama, was
reportedly killed by the Joint Task Force, during an encounter with
troops around the Bama corridor on August 4.
Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade,
in a statement announcing the killing, penultimate week, said Bama
had been leading attacks against troops and civilians in the
communities of Yobe and Adamawa states.
According to him, Momodu, said to be a specialist in manning anti-
aircraft guns, was known to be vicious and heartless with a
penchant for personally executing his victims.
Bama was among the most wanted terrorists with a N25million
bounty placed on his head.
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