Abubakar Shekau

{{Short description|Nigerian militant and former leader of Boko Haram}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Abubakar Shekau

| image = Abubakar Shekau, Rewards for Justice.jpg

| caption = Shekau announcing Boko Haram's abduction of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls in a May 2014 video

| birth_name = Abubakar Mohammed Shekau

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1973|3|24|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Shekau, Tarmuwa, Yobe State, Nigeria

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|5|19|1973|3|24|df=yes}}

| death_place = Sambisa Forest, Borno State, Nigeria

| occupation =

| allegiance = Boko Haram (2002–2021)
{{Flag|Islamic State}} (fully 2015–2016; loosely from 2016)

| branch =

| serviceyears = 2002–2021

| rank = Leader (2009–2021)

| battles = Boko Haram insurgency

}}

Abubakar Mohammed Shekau (23 March 1973 – 19 May 2021) was a Nigerian militant who was the leader of Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist organization based in northeastern Nigeria, from 2009 to 2021.{{cite news | first = Joe | last = Brock | title = Nigeria sect leader defends killings in video | date = 12 January 2012 | publisher = Thomson Reuters | url = https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE80B01D20120112 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120115045448/http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE80B01D20120112 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 15 January 2012 | work = Reuters Africa | access-date = 24 January 2012}}{{cite news | first = Leela | last = Jacinto | title = The Boko Haram terror chief who came back from the dead | date = 13 January 2012 | url = http://www.france24.com/en/20120111-terror-chief-boko-haram-imam-shekau-youtube-nigeria-goodluck-jonathan-al-qaeda-oil | work = France 24 | access-date = 24 January 2012}} He served as deputy leader to the group's founder, Mohammed Yusuf, until Yusuf's execution by Nigerian police in 2009.

Nigerian authorities believed that Shekau was killed in 2009 during clashes between security forces and Boko Haram until July 2010, when Shekau appeared in a video claiming leadership of the group. He had subsequently been regularly reported dead and was thought to use doubles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20140925-boko-haram-militant-leader-abubakar-shekau-dead-nigeria-military|title=Boko Haram militant leader is dead, Nigerian military says|date=25 September 2014|website=France 24|language=en|access-date=19 February 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/nigeria-army-claims-death-of-boko-haram-leader/224539|title=Nigeria army claims death of Boko Haram leader|website=www.aa.com.tr|access-date=19 February 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Akinyelure|first=Didi|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37476453|title=Dead or alive? The six lives of Boko Haram's leader|date=27 September 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=19 February 2020|language=en-GB}}

Shekau has been criticized by human rights advocates for terrorism, bombings, forced conversions and kidnapping.

In March 2015 Shekau pledged allegiance to ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. However, in 2016, ISIS Central tried to replace Shekau with Abu Musab al-Barnawi as leader of the group, causing a split. Shekau's loyalists were called Boko Haram and al-Barnawi's loyalists were known as Islamic State's West Africa Province. Shekau was a Salafi, until 2016, when he ended his relation to ISIL.{{Cite book|title = Collective Mobilisations in Africa / Mobilisations collectives en Afrique: Enough is Enough! / Ça suffit!|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tVnFCQAAQBAJ|publisher = BRILL|date = 1 June 2015|isbn = 9789004300002|page = 338}} Relations between Shekau and

ISIS declined, and in 2021 ISIS launched a major operation against Shekau and his supporters.

Shekau killed himself on 19 May 2021 by detonating a suicide vest during the battle of Sambisa Forest between Boko Haram and Islamic State's West Africa Province.{{Cite news|last1=Hinshaw|first1=Drew |last2=Parkinson |first2=Joe|date=21 May 2021|title=Boko Haram Leader, Responsible for Chibok Schoolgirl Kidnappings, Dies|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/boko-haram-leader-responsible-for-chibok-schoolgirl-kidnappings-dies-11621608392|access-date=21 May 2021|issn=0099-9660}} His death was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and was confirmed by Nigerian officials, ISWAP, and his surviving loyalists.{{cite web |url=http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/15/abubakar-shekaus-boko-haram-faction-confirms-death-leader-issues-fresh-threats |title= Abubakar Shekau's Boko Haram Faction Confirms Death Of Leader, Issues Fresh Threats |work=Sahara Reporters |date=15 June 2021 |access-date=16 June 2021 }}{{cite news |url=https://humangle.ng/iswap-confirms-shekaus-death-says-its-fighters-were-following-isis-orders/ |title=ISWAP Confirms Shekau's Death, Says Its Fighters Were Following ISIS Orders |author=Ahmad Salkida |work=Humangle |date=5 June 2021 |access-date=5 June 2021 }}

Biography

=Early years=

Abubakar Mohammed Shekau was born on 23 March 1973 in the Nigerian village of Shekau in the Tarmuwa local government of Yobe State.{{Cite journal |last=Okereke |first=Emeka |date=2014 |title=From Obscurity to Global Visibility: Periscoping Abubakar Shekau |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26351292 |journal=Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses |volume=6 |issue=10 |pages=17–22 |jstor=26351292 |issn=2382-6444}}{{Cite web |date=6 June 2021 |title=Abubakar Shekau: Boko Haram's radical leader |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210606-abubakar-shekau-boko-haram-s-radical-leader |access-date=15 October 2021 |website=France 24 |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last=Brigaglia |first=Andrea |date=2013 |title=Abubakar Shekau: The Boko Haram Leader Who Never Came "Back from the Dead" |url=https://unmaskingbokoharam.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/shekauback-from-the-dead2013.pdf |journal=The Annual Review of Islam in Africa |issue=12/1 |pages=43–48}} His father was Mohammed Shekau, a local district imam, and his mother was Falmata Abubakar.{{Cite web |title=Mother of Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau Speaks About Her Son |url=https://www.cfr.org/blog/mother-boko-haram-leader-abubakar-shekau-speaks-about-her-son |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=www.cfr.org |language=en}} According to Falmata, Abubakar left for Maiduguri during his boyhood and became an almajiri. Almajirai often beg on the street for food, and it is believed Shekau did the same.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-14 |title=VOA Interview: Mother of Boko Haram Leader Speaks Out |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/voa-interview-mother-of-boko-haram-leader/4438375.html |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Voice of America |language=en}} He reportedly received formal Islamic education in a local religious school known as a tsangaya from a cleric named Baba Fani.

Shekau was an ethnic Kanuri, and also spoke Hausa, Fulani, Arabic, and English.{{cite news |date=9 May 2014 |title=Nigeria's Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in profile |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18020349 |work=BBC News}} In 1991, he moved to Mafoni Ward in Maiduguri and enrolled in the Borno College of Legal and Islamic Studies (BOCOLIS), where he graduated in 2004.{{cite web |date=3 April 2014 |title=Curbing Violence in Nigeria (II): The Boko Haram Insurgency |url=https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/curbing-violence-in-nigeria-II-the-boko-haram-insurgency.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901040719/https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/curbing-violence-in-nigeria-II-the-boko-haram-insurgency.pdf |archive-date=1 September 2022 |access-date=22 August 2018 |website=Africa Report N°216 |page=19}} Shekau reportedly had a photographic memory, and devoted much of his time in BOCOLIS to developing his self-taught interpretation of Islam.

He later met Mohammed Yusuf, the founder of Jamaat Ahlus Sunnah li Dawah wal Jihad, and became one of his deputies. Shekau was appointed the leader of the group in July 2009, after the death of Yusuf in the 2009 Boko Haram uprising. Shekau survived being shot in the leg during the 2009 attempt on his life by Nigerian security forces. He was married to one of Muhammad Yusuf's four widows.{{cite news|title = Profile of Nigeria's Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau|work = BBC News|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18020349|date = 22 June 2012}} His nickname was "Darul Tawheed", which translates as "specialist in tawheed", the Islamic concept of oneness of Allah.

=Leader of Boko Haram=

Shekau's leadership did not go unchallenged. He received a letter from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb giving him advice but he did not heed it.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} As a result of his erratic leadership, in 2012 a faction of the group broke off to form Jamaat Ansar al-Muslimin fi Bilād as-Sudn (Ansaru). This faction included his military commander Abu Muhammad al-Bauchawi, and religious advisor Sheikh Abu Osama al-Ansari Muhammad Awal al-Gombawi. Despite this, many soldiers and commanders stayed with Shekau, including military commanders Abu Sa'ad al-Bamawi and Muhammad Salafi. With his group mostly intact, Shekau engaged in conflict with Ansaru, killing their leader Abu Osama al-Ansari. As a result of this, and other arrests of Ansaru leaders by the Nigerian government, Ansaru did not pose a further threat to Shekau's leadership of the jihadi movement in Nigeria, and the group became defunct by 2015.

Shekau's fellow jihadist fighters were undisciplined and abused the populations they encountered, resulting in the establishment of civilian militias such as the Civilian Joint Task Force to fight them. Shekau was also thought to have killed his own religious advisors, including Sheikh Abd al-Malek al-Ansari al-Kadunawi and Abu al-Abbas al-Bankiwani.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aymennjawad.org/21467/the-islamic-state-west-africa-province-vs-abu|title=The Islamic State West Africa Province vs. Abu Bakr Shekau: Full Text, Translation and Analysis|last=Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi|website=Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi|access-date=3 January 2021}}

In June 2012, the United States Department of State designated Shekau as a terrorist and effectively froze his assets in the United States.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18542030|title=Boko Haram leaders are designated as terrorists by US|work=BBC News|date=22 June 2012| access-date=22 June 2012}} Since June 2013,{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/06/210204.htm|publisher=U.S. Department of State|title=Rewards for Justice – First Reward Offers for Terrorists in West Africa|date=3 June 2013}} the department has had a standing reward of US$7 million for information leading to Shekau's capture through its Rewards for Justice program.{{cite web|url=http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/abubakar_shekau.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707021335/https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/abubakar_shekau.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 July 2021 |title=Rewards for Justice profile |publisher=Rewardsforjustice.net |access-date=6 June 2014}} In addition, the Nigerian army has offered a ₦50 million reward (approximately US$300,000) for Shekau.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE8AN03320121124|title=Nigeria army offers $1.8 mln reward for Boko Haram leaders|work=Reuters|date=24 November 2012}}

In videos Shekau posted online, he boasted often about his invincibility; mocked various armies; and stated that he "cannot be stopped" and "cannot die except by the will of Allah". He has also boasted of being in possession of armoured tanks and other combat vehicles.{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/09/25/Boko-Haram-leader-believed-dead-appears-in-new-video/UPI-16641380144687|title=Boko Haram leader, believed dead, appears in new video|date=24 September 2013|newspaper=UPI}} His online videos frequently depict anti-American rhetoric, and he has made multiple threats to attack the U.S.{{cite web|last=Windrem |first=Robert |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/boko-haram-leader-abubakar-shekau-man-who-would-be-africas-n108121 |title=Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau: the Man Who Would Be Africa's Bin Laden |work=NBC News |date=17 May 2014 |access-date=6 June 2014}}

In one prominent incident, he took credit for the kidnapping of over 200 school girls in April 2014.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/05/06/the-man-behind-the-nigerian-girls-kidnappings-and-his-death-defying-mystique/?tid=hp_mm|title=The man behind the Nigerian girls' kidnappings and his death-defying mystique|first=Terrence|last=McCoy|date=6 May 2014|newspaper=The Washington Post}} Shekau also announced that the kidnapped girls have been converted to Islam.[http://jcpa.org/article/boko-haram-and-the-future-of-nigeria/ Boko Haram and the Future of Nigeria], by Dr. Jacques Neheriah Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs He has claimed to be waging a jihad against Christianity.{{cite web|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/boko-haram-leader-pledges-war-against-christians-scoffs-at-gays-saying-even-animals-know-better-119884/ |title=Boko Haram Leader Pledges War Against Christians; Scoffs at Gays Saying Even Animals Know Better |publisher=Christianpost.com |date=16 May 2014 |access-date=6 June 2014}}File:Boko Haram Execution.png

In a May 2014 video, he asserted that his goal was to create a caliphate.{{Citation |title=Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau: 'Kill, Kill, Kill!' {{!}} The New York Times | date=5 May 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLAKoJYTLfA |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=5 May 2014 |title=Nigerian Islamist Leader Threatens to Sell Kidnapped Girls (Published 2014) |work=The New York Times |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/world/africa/nigeria-kidnapped-girls.html |access-date=6 August 2023 |last1=Nossiter |first1=Adam }}

With the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria during 2014 and 2015, Shekau faced pressure from his commanders and soldiers to pledge his allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. A history of the group says that Shekau "was compelled to give allegiance, and that was through a coming together of the military commanders, and after he became convinced that the matter was about to go out of his hand, and that his throne would be shaken and emptied of him if he did not give allegiance".

After Gwoza massacre took place, he declared Gwoza to be under the control of Boko Haram, saying “Thanks be to Allah who has given us victory in Gwoza and made us part of the Islamic caliphate. Thanks be to Allah. We are in an Islamic caliphate and we have nothing to do with Nigeria.”{{Citation |title=Shekau Declares Gwoza Boko Haram State |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ9bCMgt9jI |website=www.youtube.com | date=24 August 2014 |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=en}}

Shekau threatened to attack participants in the 2015 Nigerian general election.{{Citation |title=Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau Threatens Nigerian Elections |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfBXdcUy_lI |website=www.youtube.com | date=18 February 2015 |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=en}}

In August 2016, ISIL appointed Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the leader of the group in place of Shekau.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36963711 |title=Boko Haram in Nigeria: Abu Musab al-Barnawi named as new leader |date=3 August 2016|work=BBC News |access-date=3 August 2016}} Shekau refused to recognise Barnawi's authority and split off part of the group under its original name of Jamaat Ahlus Sunnah li Dawah wal Jihad, while Barnawi led the "Islamic State's West Africa Province" (ISWAP).{{cite web |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20160809-boko-haram-shekau-vows-fight-group-leadership-barnawi-islamic-state |title=Boko Haram's Shekau vows to fight IS group rival for leadership |date=9 August 2016 |work=France 24 |access-date=10 August 2016}} While Shekau led his group, he only had 1,500 soldiers, whereas Barnawi had 3,500.{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Browne |title=US warns of growing African terror threat |date=19 April 2018 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/19/politics/africa-isis-al-qaeda-threat/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=28 September 2018}} Shekau has been widely denounced as following the ideology of the Khawarij by the Islamic State and West Africa province in Nigeria.

Following the split, many clashes occurred between Shekau and Barnawi's forces over the next years.{{sfnp|Zenn|2021|p=1}} Regardless, Shekau never fully renounced his allegiance to the Islamic State, instead framing the rebel infighting as being solely attributable to his local rivals.{{cite news |url=https://humangle.ng/shekaus-last-message-throws-light-on-links-with-global-terror-groups-iswap-offensive/ |title=Shekau's Last Message Throws Light On Links With Global Terror Groups, ISWAP Offensive |author=Murtala Abdullahi |work=Humangle |date=26 May 2021 |access-date=30 May 2021 }}

Reports of death

File:Boko Haram (7219441626).jpg

Shekau was reported killed in 2009 but reappeared as the group leader less than a year later.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-18020349|title=Nigeria's Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in profile|work=BBC News|date=9 May 2014 |access-date=19 January 2015}} The Nigerian army in mid-August 2013 stated that he was fatally wounded when soldiers raided a base of Boko Haram in Sambisa forest and had died between 25 July and 3 August.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23761048|title=Abubakar Shekau of Nigeria's Boko Haram 'may be dead'|work=BBC News|date=19 August 2013|access-date=23 August 2016}} However, a video in September 2013 was released in which a man purported to be Shekau claimed he had not been killed.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-24274818|title=Abubakar Shekau: Boko Haram chief 'shown alive' in video|work=BBC News|date=25 September 2013|access-date=23 August 2016}} The Nigerian army also stated to have killed him during the 2014 Battle of Kodunga that lasted from 12 to 14 September.{{cite web | url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/nigerian-army-confirms-death-fake-abubabar-shekau/ | title=Nigerian Army confirms death of fake Abubakar Shekau | date=24 September 2014 | publisher=vanguardngr.com | access-date=27 September 2014}} The Cameroonian military posted a photo{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/boko-haram-leader-abubakar-shekau-reported-killed-again-this-time-by-cameroons-army/|title=Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau Reported Killed Again — This Time by Cameroon's Army|work=VICE News|date=22 September 2014 |access-date=19 January 2015}} and also claimed that their forces killed Shekau in September 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.africanmanager.com/172304.html|title=L'armée camerounaise aurait tué le leader de Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau|date=21 September 2014|work=African Manager|access-date=22 September 2014}}{{cite news |date=24 September 2014 |title=Boko Haram fighters 'surrender' as alleged chief killed |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29352927 |newspaper=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925041406/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29352927 |archive-date=25 September 2014 |access-date=24 September 2014 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.punchng.com/news/military-kills-abubakar-shekau-again/ | title=Military kills Abubakar Shekau 'again' | publisher=The Punch | access-date=27 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140927014322/http://www.punchng.com/news/military-kills-abubakar-shekau-again/ | archive-date=27 September 2014 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }} In response to these reports, security analyst Ryan Cummings commented, "Is this his fourth or fifth death? He dies more often than an iPhone battery." In early October 2014, a video was obtained by AFP news agency that showed Shekau alive, in which he mocked the Nigerian military's allegations that he had been killed.{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/boko-haram-leader-dismisses-claims-death-video-092321171.html|title=Boko Haram leader dismisses claims of his death in new video|date=2 October 2014|work=Yahoo News|access-date=19 January 2015}}{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29461095 | title=Boko Haram video shows leader alive | work=BBC News |date=2 October 2014 |access-date=3 October 2014}}

Chadian President Idriss Déby claimed in mid-August 2015 that Shekau had been replaced by Mahamat Daoud without exactly specifying his fate.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33889378|title=Nigeria's Boko Haram militants 'have new leader'|date=12 August 2015|work=BBC|access-date=5 December 2016}} An audio message attributed to Shekau was released a few days later, in which he purportedly stated that he had neither been killed nor ousted as chief of the group.{{cite web|url=http://guardian.ng/news/im-alive-says-shekau-in-a-new-audio-message/|title=I'm alive, says Shekau in a new audio message|author=Tony Bakate|date=16 August 2015|work=The Guardian Nigeria|access-date=5 December 2016}}

Shekau was reported to have been "fatally wounded" during an airstrike in Taye village on 19 August 2016 by Nigerian Air Force which also killed some senior leaders of Boko Haram.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN10Y0J9|title=Nigerian air force says kills top Boko Haram militants, leader believed wounded|date=23 August 2016|work=Reuters|access-date=23 August 2016}}{{cite news| url=http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/209070-nigerian-military-says-boko-haram-leader-shekau-wounded-deadly-air-strike.html | title=Nigerian military says Boko Haram leader, Shekau, wounded in deadly air strike | author=Abdulkareem Haruna|publisher=Premium Times |date=23 August 2016 |access-date=23 August 2016}} On 25 September, a video of a man purported to be Shekau was released on YouTube, in which he claimed that he was alive and in good health.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/man-claiming-to-be-boko-haram-shekau-surfaces-in-video/3524183.html|title=Man Claiming to be Boko Haram's Abubakar Shekau Surfaces in Video|date=25 August 2016|work=Voice of America|access-date=25 August 2016}}

On 27 June 2017, Shekau released a video in which he claimed responsibility for the abduction of Nigerian policewomen and criticized the Nigerian government for claiming that Boko Haram had been defeated.{{cite web|url=http://uncova.com/boko-haram-leader-releases-video-revealing-abduction-of-policewomen2|date=27 June 2017|work=UNCOVA|title=Boko Haram Leader Releases Video Revealing Abduction Of Policewomen|access-date=27 June 2017}} This video would seem to be further evidence of Shekau's continued survival. In February 2020, Shekau released a video threatening the minister of information and digital economy, Isa Ali Pantami, and making reference to what was done to Islamic scholar Ja'afar Mahmud Adam in Maiduguri when he preached against Boko Haram, Bulama Bukarti, explained why Boko Haram leader Shekau threatened the Minister in an interview with the BBC.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-51528753|title=Why Boko Haram leader threaten Nigeria minister – Bulama Bukarti|date=17 February 2020|work=BBC News Pidgin|access-date=4 March 2020}}

Death

File:Sambisa forest.png

In May 2021, fighting between ISWAP and Shekau's troops escalated. The former invaded Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram's traditional stronghold, and encircled Shekau on 19 May.{{sfnp|Zenn|2021|p=1}} ISWAP attempted to convince Shekau to surrender and acknowledge Barnawi's authority, but the Boko Haram leader refused. In the middle of the negotiations, Shekau reportedly used a suicide vest to kill himself as well as a senior ISWAP frontline commander who was talking to him at the time.{{sfnp|Zenn|2021|p=2}}{{cite news |url=https://humangle.ng/boko-haram-strongman-shekau-dead-as-iswap-fighters-capture-sambisa-forest/ |title=Boko Haram Strongman, Shekau, Dead As ISWAP Fighters Capture Sambisa Forest |author1=Murtala Abdullahi |author2=Kunle Adebajo |work=Humangle |date=20 May 2021 |access-date=26 May 2021 }} ISWAP was surprised by this "dramatic" action.{{sfnp|Zenn|2021|p=2}}

In the next weeks, several sources gradually issued confirmations of his death.{{sfnp|Zenn|2021|p=2}}{{Cite web|last=Adeleke|first=Tunde|date=21 May 2021|title=Shekau's last moment : How Boko Haram's leader was destroyed by ISWAP|url=https://platinumpost.ng/2021/05/21/shekaus-last-moment-how-boko-harams-leader-was-destroyed-by-iswap/|access-date=23 May 2021|website=Platinum Post News|language=en-GB}} ISWAP declared Shekau dead in early June 2021, with al-Barnawi condemning him as "someone who committed unimaginable terrorism". In mid-June 2021, Shekau's loyalists under Bakura Sahalaba confirmed his death, but also declared that they would continue to fight against ISWAP. Initially, the leadership of the Boko Haram remnants remained disputed, as several sub-commanders like Bakura Doro and Bakura Sahalaba took charge. In May 2022, Boko Haram declared an obscure individual called "Abu Umaimata" its new overall leader.{{sfnp|Zenn|2022}}

References

= Works cited =

{{Cite journal |url = https://jamestown.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/TM-May-24-2021-Issue.pdf?x50264 |title = Killing of Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau Boosts Islamic State in Nigeria |last= Zenn |first= Jacob |date = 24 May 2021 |journal = Terrorism Monitor |publisher = Jamestown Foundation |issue = 10 |volume = 19 |pages = 1–2 }}
{{Cite journal |url = https://jamestown.org/brief/boko-haram-pledges-loyalty-to-mysterious-new-leader-abu-umaimata/ |title = Boko Haram Pledges Loyalty to Mysterious New Leader: Abu Umaimata |last = Zenn |first = Jacob |date = 6 June 2022 |journal = Militant Leadership Monitor |publisher = Jamestown Foundation |issue = 5 |volume = 13 }}

External links

{{Citation |url = http://download.salafimanhaj.com/pdf/SalafiManhaj_BokoHaram.pdf |publisher = Islamic Studies Department, University of Bayero |place = Kano, Nigeria |title = Boko Haram: Its Beginnings, Principles and Activities in Nigeria }}.
Counter Extremism Project [http://www.counterextremism.com/extremists/abubakar-shekau profile]

Category:1973 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:2021 suicides

Category:Boko Haram members

Category:Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant members

Category:Islamist kidnappers

Category:Nigerian kidnappers

Category:Nigerian Salafis

Category:People from Yobe State

Category:People who faked their own death

Category:Leaders of jihadist groups

Category:Nigerian shooting survivors