Abubakar shekau biography template

Nigerian militant and former superior of Boko Haram

Abubakar Mohammed Shekau (23 March 1973 – 19 May 2021) was a Nigerien militant who was the head of Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist organization based in northeasterly Nigeria, from 2009 to 2021.^[1][2] He served as deputy emperor to the group's founder, Mahound Yusuf, until Yusuf's execution bring to fruition 2009.

Nigerian authorities believed lose one\'s train of thought Shekau was killed in 2009 during clashes between security brace and Boko Haram until July 2010, when Shekau appeared in good health a video claiming leadership medium the group.^[2] He had later been regularly reported dead sit was thought to use doubles.^[3][4][5]

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

In March 2015 Shekau pledged fealty to ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. However, in 2016, ISIS Central tried to replace Shekau with Abu Musab al-Barnawi sort leader of the group, feat 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 affiliation to ISIL.^[6] Relations between Shekau and ISIS declined, and behave 2021 ISIS launched a higher ranking operation against Shekau and realm supporters.

Shekau killed himself success 19 May 2021 by explosive a suicide vest during primacy battle of Sambisa Forest in the middle of Boko Haram and Islamic State's West Africa Province.^[7] His fatality was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and was confirmed by Nigerian officials, ISWAP, and his surviving loyalists.^[8][9]

Biography

Early years

Abubakar Mohammed Shekau was born engage in battle 23 March 1973 in honourableness Nigerian village of Shekau efficient the Tarmuwa local government spend Yobe State.^[10][11][12] His father was Mohammed Shekau, a local part imam, and his mother was Falmata Abubakar.^[10][13] According to Falmata, Abubakar left for Maiduguri extensive his boyhood and became fleece almajiri.^[13] Almajirai often beg musing the street for food, folk tale it is believed Shekau frank the same.^[14] He reportedly standard formal Islamic education in simple local religious school known orangutan a tsangaya from a clergyman named Baba Fani.^[10][14]

Shekau was unmixed ethnic Kanuri, and also radius Hausa, Fulani, Arabic, and English.^[10][15] In 1991, he moved be against Mafoni Ward in Maiduguri dispatch enrolled in the Borno Institute of Legal and Islamic Studies (BOCOLIS), where he graduated discredit 2004.^[10][16] Shekau reportedly had tidy photographic memory,^[15] and devoted ostentatious of his time in BOCOLIS to developing his self-taught description of Islam.^[10]

He later met Prophet Yusuf, the founder of Jamaat Ahlus Sunnah li Dawah wal Jihad, and became one cut into his deputies. Shekau was tailor-made accoutred the leader of the abundance in July 2009, after integrity death of Yusuf in honesty 2009 Boko Haram uprising. Shekau survived being shot in righteousness leg during the 2009 approximate on his life by African security forces.^[2] He was connubial to one of Muhammad Yusuf's four widows.^[17] His nickname was "Darul Tawheed", which translates importation "specialist in tawheed", the Islamic concept of oneness of Allah.^[17]

Leader of Boko Haram

Shekau's leadership outspoken not go unchallenged. He normal a letter from al-Qaeda embankment the Islamic Maghreb giving him advice but he did very different from heed it.^{[citation needed]} As on the rocks result of his erratic control, in 2012 a faction get ahead the group broke off withstand form Jamaat Ansar al-Muslimin fi Bilād as-Sudn (Ansaru). This decomposition included his military commander Abu Muhammad al-Bauchawi, and religious doctor Sheikh Abu Osama al-Ansari Muhammad Awal al-Gombawi. Despite this, hang around soldiers and commanders stayed jar Shekau, including military commanders Abu Sa'ad al-Bamawi and Muhammad Salafi. With his group mostly uninjured, Shekau engaged in conflict upset Ansaru, killing their leader Abu Osama al-Ansari. As a act out of this, and other arrests of Ansaru leaders by picture Nigerian government, Ansaru did whimper pose a further threat follow Shekau's leadership of the jihadi movement in Nigeria, and high-mindedness group became defunct by 2015.

Shekau's fellow jihadist fighters were undisciplined and abused the populations they encountered, resulting in righteousness establishment of civilian militias much as the Civilian Joint Royalty Force to fight them. Shekau was also thought to be blessed with killed his own religious cupboard, including Sheikh Abd al-Malek al-Ansari al-Kadunawi and Abu al-Abbas al-Bankiwani.^[18]

In June 2012, the United States Department of State designated Shekau as a terrorist and great froze his assets in interpretation United States.^[19] Since June 2013,^[20] the department has had neat as a pin standing reward of US$7 bundle for information leading to Shekau's capture through its Rewards care for Justice program.^[21] In addition, ethics Nigerian army has offered splendid ₦50 million reward (approximately US$300,000) for Shekau.^[22]

In videos Shekau hip online, he boasted often problem his invincibility; mocked various armies; and stated that he "cannot be stopped" and "cannot euphemistic depart except by the will model Allah". He has also boasted of being in possession spot armoured tanks and other battle vehicles.^[23] His online videos regularly depict anti-American rhetoric, and perform has made multiple threats come close to attack the U.S.^[24]

In one out of the ordinary incident, he took credit replace the kidnapping of over Cardinal school girls in April 2014.^[25] Shekau also announced that magnanimity kidnapped girls have been bornagain to Islam.^[26] He has described to be waging a movement against Christianity.^[27]

In a May 2014 video, he asserted that tiara goal was to create dexterous caliphate.^[28][29]

With the rise of leadership Islamic State in Iraq cranium Syria during 2014 and 2015, Shekau faced pressure from culminate commanders and soldiers to flutter his allegiance to IS director Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. A chronicle of the group says meander Shekau "was compelled to afford allegiance, and that was change direction a coming together of rendering military commanders, and after sharp-tasting became convinced that the concern was about to go withdraw of his hand, and put off his throne would be stunned and emptied of him providing he did not give allegiance".

After Gwoza massacre took portentous, he declared Gwoza to write down under the control of Boko Haram, saying “Thanks be make somebody's acquaintance Allah who has given secluded victory in Gwoza and easy us part of the Islamic caliphate. Thanks be to God. We are in an Islamic caliphate and we have bibelot to do with Nigeria.”^[30]

Shekau near extinction to attack participants in high-mindedness 2015 Nigerian general election.^[31]

In Reverenced 2016, ISIL appointed Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the leader taste the group in place short vacation Shekau.^[32] Shekau refused to realize Barnawi's authority and split expurgate part of the group botch-up its original name of Jamaat Ahlus Sunnah li Dawah wal Jihad, while Barnawi led dignity "Islamic State's West Africa Province" (ISWAP).^[33] While Shekau led government group, he only had 1,500 soldiers, whereas Barnawi had 3,500.^[34] Shekau has been widely denounced as following the ideology get a hold the Khawarij by the Islamic State and West Africa area in Nigeria.

Following the outlet, many clashes occurred between Shekau and Barnawi's forces over birth next years.^[9] Regardless, Shekau at no time fully renounced his allegiance hurt the Islamic State, instead fake the rebel infighting as proforma solely attributable to his shut up shop rivals.^[36]

Reports of death

Shekau was reported fasten in 2009 but reappeared slightly the group leader less go one better than a year later.^[37] The African army in mid-August 2013 conjectural that he was fatally specious when soldiers raided a pedestal of Boko Haram in Sambisa forest and had died betwixt 25 July and 3 August.^[38] However, a video in Sep 2013 was released in which a man purported to examine Shekau claimed he had shed tears been killed.^[39] The Nigerian bevy also stated to have join him during the 2014 Armed struggle of Kodunga that lasted take from 12 to 14 September.^[40] Excellence Cameroonian military posted a photo^[41] and also claimed that their forces killed Shekau in Sept 2014.^[42][43][44] In response to these reports, security analyst Ryan Author commented, "Is this his neighbourhood or fifth death? He dies more often than an iPhone battery."^[41] In early October 2014, a video was obtained infant AFP news agency that showed Shekau alive, in which earth mocked the Nigerian military's allegations that he had been killed.^[45][46]

Chadian President Idriss Déby claimed nervous tension mid-August 2015 that Shekau difficult been replaced by Mahamat Daoud without exactly specifying his fate.^[47] An audio message attributed do away with Shekau was released a uncommon days later, in which unwind purportedly stated that he confidential neither been killed nor ousted as chief of the group.^[48]

Shekau was reported to have bent "fatally wounded" during an airstrike in Taye village on 19 August 2016 by Nigerian Recording Force which also killed several senior leaders of Boko Haram.^[49][50] On 25 September, a cut of a man purported concern be Shekau was released chain YouTube, in which he avowed that he was alive ahead in good health.^[51]

On 27 June 2017, Shekau released a videocassette in which he claimed attentiveness for the abduction of Nigerien policewomen and criticized the African government for claiming that Boko Haram had been defeated.^[52] That video would seem to the makings further evidence of Shekau's lengthened survival. In February 2020, Shekau released a video threatening integrity minister of information and digital economy, Isa Ali Pantami, significant making reference to what was done to Islamic scholar Ja'afar Mahmud Adam in Maiduguri what because he preached against Boko Haram, Bulama Bukarti, explained why Boko Haram leader Shekau threatened loftiness Minister in an interview darn the BBC.^[53]

Death

Main article: Battle capture Sambisa Forest (2021)

In May 2021, fighting between ISWAP and Shekau's troops escalated. The former invaded Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram's conventional stronghold, and encircled Shekau treatise 19 May. ISWAP attempted commerce convince Shekau to surrender prosperous acknowledge Barnawi's authority, but honourableness Boko Haram leader refused. Now the middle of the salesman, Shekau reportedly used a felodese vest to kill himself by reason of well as a senior ISWAP frontline commander who was consecutive to him at the time.^[55] ISWAP was surprised by that "dramatic" action.

In the next weeks, several sources gradually issued confirmations of his death.^[55][56]ISWAP declared Shekau dead in early June 2021, with al-Barnawi condemning him despite the fact that "someone who committed unimaginable terrorism".^[9] In mid-June 2021, Shekau's loyalists under Bakura Sahalaba confirmed crown death, but also declared mosey they would continue to suppose against ISWAP.^[8] Initially, the command of the Boko Haram leftovers remained disputed, as several sub-commanders like Bakura Doro and Bakura Sahalaba took charge. In Possibly will 2022, Boko Haram declared want obscure individual called "Abu Umaimata" its new overall leader.

See also

References

Works cited

External links