Shekau in terrible state of health, says military

The Nigerian Military has claimed that the main leader of Boko Haram terrorists set, Abubakar Shekau, is in a terrible state of health, and so does not constitute a threat to its ongoing fight against the insurgents anymore.

It described Shekau as a “spent horse, waiting for his Waterloo.”


The military also said the sect’s factional leader, Abu Mus’ab Albarnawiy, who it said, has been busy deceiving and recruiting gullible persons especially misguided youths into his fold will soon be captured.

“There is no doubt that the main Boko Haram terrorist group factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, is in a terrible state of health and not much a threat as he is now a spent horse, waiting for his Waterloo,” it said in a statement released Monday morning by the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, obtained in Abuja through the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman.

The military equally said it had no doubt that Mamman Nur Algadi, another of the terrorist’ factional leader,”has been wounded and he is more or less a cripple since 2014 at Mubi”, since he was hit by the Nigerian Air Force while on a motorcycle.

“He was wounded along with one Abu Mujahid, an indigene of Saminaka, Kaduna State, who was later executed by Abubakar Shekau,” it revealed.

It disclosed that the incident reduced Nur, a member of the Shurah Council of the terrorist group, to only teaching in Boko Haram terrorists enclave.

“However, Abu Mus’ab Albarnawiy, who has been busy deceiving and recruiting gullible persons, especially misguided youths into his fold will soon be captured.

“We reliably learnt that some misguided persons, particularly youths, are getting conscripted into the sect through enticements.

“They are usually attracted to the sect because of the deceitful and erroneous impression that Abu Musab’s Albarnawiy brand of “jihad” and insurgency is refined and genuine.

” This is far from it. Both factions are terrorist’s organizations whose activities constitute crimes against humanity. Their nefarious activities run contrary to the religion of Islam,”the statement said.

It said the “faction has recruiters all over the country, especially in the north east.”

“However, their clearing house for such conscripts is at Potiskum, Yobe State.

“Efforts are ongoing to track those involved.

” In view of the above, the general public should be wary of these unscrupulous elements attempting to recruit more youths into their sect”,it further said.

Meanwhile, the military said it has uncovered the new tricks adopted by the terrorists to evade its air onslaught against them.

The statement to this effect read thus:”The Boko Haram terrorists tricks of evading air raids have been unravelled by the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole,combating insurgency in the North East of Nigeria.

” The Boko Haram terrorist group has always perfected survival tricks to continue their nefarious activities through enticement, deceit, concealment and outright propaganda.

“These were decoded through credible intelligence which became imperative for the public to be aware of it.

“The Insurgents deployed special roofing techniques in order to avoid air detection and bombardment from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

“They resort to roofing their living accommodation and hideouts with a mixture of coated sugar and mud, so that the roof will not reflect when there is sunshine. Decisive measures have been taken to deal with this deception. “