The Jama’atu Ahlussunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad (JAS) faction of Boko Haram terrorist group has confirmed the death of Abubakar Shekau, its former leader.
The Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) said Shekau blew himself up after refusing to surrender following the invasion of his hideout on May 19.
The Boko Haram leader was said to have killed himself with a bomb “when he observed that the ISWAP fighters wanted to capture him alive.”
ISWAP, which broke away from Shekau’s Boko Haram faction in 2016, said it disagreed with the late extremist leader over his excessive use of force, especially on Muslims in areas under his influence.
According to ISWAP leader, Abu Musab Albarnawi, its fighters took their arms, travelled through the Sahara, went into Shekau’s enclave, and engaged in a gun battle with his followers.
In a video circulating online, members of JAS, led by one Bakura Sahalaba, admitted to the death of Shekau.
Sahalaba claimed that the faction of the terrorist group was still very much active.
He further denounced ISWAP and insisted that “it’s not all over for us.”
Some of the weapons that could be spotted with the Boko Haram fighters included: AKM(S)/Type 56 pattern rifles, Romanian PM me. 90 & PM MD. 63 rifles, Zastava M21S rifles and PK/Type 80 pattern GPMGs.