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Boko Haram: How Shekau Was Killed As ISWAP Takes Over Sambisa Forest

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The leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau has been reportedly killed according to multiple sources.

Information gathered by Naija News on the development has it that Shekau died on the evening of Wednesday, 19th May 2021.

He was said to have died following the invasion of his Sambisa forest stronghold by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) loyal to the Islamic State (ISIS).

ISWAP was a part of the Boko Haram group before it broke away in 2016 over ideological differences and pledged allegiance to ISIS – an international terrorist organization.

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It was gathered that the ISWAP fighters stormed Shekau’s stronghold on Wednesday with multiple gun trucks and overpowered the Boko Haram fighters including Shekau’s bodyguards leading to the death of fighters on both sides.

After overpowering the Boko Haram fighters, Shekau was said to have surrendered and engaged in a long meeting with the ISWAP fighters.

He was given the option to voluntarily relinquish power and order his fighters in other areas to declare allegiance to ISWAP’s authority.

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However, Shekau according to sources had other ideas as instead of issuing a statement as expected, he blew up a secret suicide vest he had on him, killing himself and many others present during the negotiation.

The identities of those who lost their lives in the explosion remain unclear as of press time.

Shekau had been the leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group since 2009 following the death of the group’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf.

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The Nigerian military had at different times between July 2009 and August 2015 claimed Shekau had been killed in airstrikes but like the proverbial cat with nine lives, the terrorists’ leader had emerged again in videos uploaded by his group.