The military high command yesterday, said that it could not confirm that the high ranking leader of the Boko Haram sect killed by troops in Konduga, Borno State was Abubakar Shekau. This is even as it dismissed as speculation, the reports in some section of the media that Shekau was the one killed by troops. An online media had in a report, which was celebrated by some newspapers, expressed the concern that from all indications, the Boko Haram leader may have finally been killed during the September 17 war of Konduga.
However, the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, in a reaction said that a prominent Boko Haram leader was killed, but it didn’t know if he was Shekau or not. Asked if it was sure that the Boko Haram Commander killed by its troops was Shekau, the DHQ through its Director of Defence Information, DDI, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, told our correspondent that, “I don’t know.” Olukolade, who ordinarily would have been expected to celebrate the report as victory, rather dissociated the DHQ from it saying, the DHQ had nothing to do with it. Olukolade said: “I hope you know we did not say anything about it, did we?” He however indicated to speak very soon on the dead Boko Haram Commander.
On its part, the Army Headquarters, AHQ, through its Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Brig-Gen. Olajide Laleye, said it could not confirm that Abubakar Shekau was dead. Laleye told our correspondent that, “No, I cannot confirm that please.” The Department of States Services, DSS, had some time ago announced Shekau was dead. The DSS had declared that Shekau died of gunshot injuries during a fierce encounter in the North East.
However, shortly afterwards, a senior member of the sect emerged in a video to declare that he was Abubakar Shekau and that he was not dead as claimed by the DSS. But the new character was said by security forces to have been mimicking the said late Shekau, as they, (security forces), appeared very confident that the man that was earlier killed was Shekau.
