“Abubakar Shekau” Killed Was One Bashir Mohammed

A Nigerian military intelligence source has told SaharaReporters that the top Boko Haram figure killed in a recent operation was one Bashir Mohammed, leader of the Islamist sect’s Uye camp. Nigerian soldiers routed the Islamist militants in Konduga, killing hundreds of them and capturing weapons as well as vehicles abandoned by fleeing insurgents. The military as well as Nigerian government-appointed negotiators claim that the original Mr. Shekau had died since last year, reportedly assassinated by his lieutenants. The intelligence source said Mr. Bashir had adopted Mr. Shekau’s nom deguere and had been the person responsible for issuing video messages in recent times. Even though our source said the military was cautious not to claim credit for Mr. “Shekau’s” death, he added that the Nigerian military was buoyed by the capture of the armored tank usually displayed in the background of recent videos issued by the sect’s spokesman.