An internal message from the leadership of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) terrorist organization confirms that the leader of the also jihadist group Boko Haram , Abubakar Shekau, died after taking his own life during an ISWA attack that he was subjected to on May 19. in the Nigerian state of Borno.
ISWA split from Shekau’s Boko Haram faction in 2016 over disagreements with the extremist leader over his excessive use of force , especially against Muslims in areas under his influence.
The message comes precisely from the ISWA leader, Abu Musab Al Barnaui , in a speech picked up late on Friday by the news portal HumAngle .
In his speech, in Hausa language, he confirms that the attack was ordered directly by the current leader of the Islamic State, Amir Muhamad Said Abdelrahman al Mawla, describes Shekau as “the leader of disobedience and corruption ” and assures that his fighters ” they rejoiced “over his death, which would have occurred when he detonated a charge of explosives that he carried with him after initially escaping from an assault on his hiding place.
“This is an individual who has committed unimaginable terrorism . How many has he killed? How many has he terrorized? God abandoned him until his time came, when he decided to send his brave soldiers sent by the commander of the believers”, made it known in the speech, referring to Al Mawla.
Once the order was received, according to the account of the ISWA leader, the jihadists made an appearance at the hideout of Shekau and his followers, with whom they became involved in a shootout. The Boko Haram leader managed to escape and “wandered dying” through the nearby Sambisa forest for five days , where he was eventually cornered.
Despite receiving an amnesty offer from ISWA fighters, “Shekau preferred to be humiliated in the afterlife rather than humiliated while alive” and activated the explosive charge he was carrying, “dying on the spot.”
Lastly, Abu Musab urged ISWA fighters in Lake Chad not to sit idly by as Shekau supporters ” invade homes and kidnap wives and children into slaves,” and calls on Boko Haram to open a dialogue channel seen what happened with its leader.
“He was stronger and more experienced than you , and yet he has been defeated,” he concludes.