Boko Haram leader Shekau suffers fatal injury in air strike

Boko Haram leader Shekau suffers fatal injury in air strike

- Some Boko Haram commanders have been killed in an air strike carried out by two Nigerian Air force jets

- A source discloses that Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, who was wounded in the bombings is believed to be receiving treatment near the Nigerian border with Cameroon

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has been injured after Nigerian Air force jets bombed insurgents who had gathered for prayers in Balla village the edge of the Sambisa Forest, sources have disclosed.

The Punch reports that one of Abubakar Shekau’s deputies, among other Boko Haram commanders, was killed in the air strike carried out by two Nigerian Air force jets some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Damboa, last Friday, April 28.

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“Shekau was wounded in the bombings and is believed to be receiving treatment near the Nigerian border with Cameroon around Kolofata,” said one source with contacts within Boko Haram.

“His deputy, Abba Mustapha, alias Malam Abba, was killed in the attack along with another key lieutenant, Abubakar Gashua, alias Abu Aisha,” he added.

The Guardian reports that another source, Babakura Kolo, a member of the civilian JTF in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, gave a similar account.

“Shekau was injured and a number of commanders were killed…Among them is his deputy called Malam Abba. They suffered heavy casualties because the bombings targeted a large gathering of his followers attending Friday prayers,” Babakura Kolo said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force has confirmed the death of many suspected leaders of Boko Haram in a recent air strike carried out by Nigeria Air Force fighter jets on locations believed to be hideouts of the deadly insurgents, an official said.

According to a statement issued from the Directorate of Public Relations and Information of the Nigeria Air Force, the strike took place on April 28 in a village called Mangosum in Borno state.

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The incident was not reported until Tuesday, May 2, when the Director of Air Force Public Relations and Information, Olatokunbo Adesanya, an air commodore, mentioned it in a terse statement.

According to Adesanya, the attack was effected following a NAF intelligence.

It is believed that this was the airstrike sources said fatally wounded Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

See video of the airstrike below:

In the video below, the Nigerian Air Force gives an update on operations against Boko Haram in 2017.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Kess Ewubare avatar

Kess Ewubare Kess Ewubare is a former senior political/current affairs editor at Legit.ng. He has a diploma in-law in addition to a BSc and a master’s degree in mass communication. Kess is a journalist with over 10 years of working experience in several fields of journalism ranging from radio presenting, television news reporting, newspaper reporter, feature and magazine writing as well as online and multi-media journalism.

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