The
Nigerian Army on Tuesday announced the death of three key commanders of the
extremist Boko Haram sect.
The army said the
terrorists were killed on Friday in a major air strike on their location in the
dreaded Sambisa Forest.
The spokesperson for
the Army, Sani Usman, said the leader of the terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau,
was also inflicted with with “fatal injury” during the operation.
Mr. Sani, a colonel,
said the bombardment was carried out on Friday while Mr. Shekau, who the
Nigerian military had pronounced dead several times in the past years, was
leading his group in performing the Friday prayers at a secret location called
Tayye in the heart of the vast forest.
The military has
repeatedly claimed credit for killing Mr. Shekau. But the sect denounced the
claims each time saying its leader remained alive. At times, Mr. Shekau would
appear in a video to prove he had not been killed.
The military however
insisted that the original Abubakar Shekau had long been killed, and that the
so-called Abubakar Shekau said to be alive was a made-up character.
Giving further details
of Friday bombardment, Mr. Sani gave the names of those killed in the raid as
Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman.
The air raid was not
immediately reported because journalists have no access to the location.
Military
insiders also said the air force had no idea how successful the bombardments
were until late Monday when the Army became aware of those killed and injured
in battle.
-Premium
Times
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