Shekau Might be Dead as Boko Haram Appoints Daoud new Leader

Shekau Might be Dead as Boko Haram Appoints Daoud new Leader

President of Chad, Idriss Deby, today confirmed that the Boko Haram sect has picked a new leader, fuelling speculation that Abubakar Shekau may indeed be dead.

The president did not say what might have happened to Shekau, he however disclosed that the face of Boko Haram leader had been replaced by Mahamat Daoud-who has not been heard of before.

Shekau has been missing in the group’s videos in the last five months, lending clue to the belief that he has been killed.

Picture of Shekau’s body had appeared in a place identified as Sambisa forest, but a military spokesman said he could neither deny nor confirm the claim. The issue of Shekau’s death has brought embarrassment to the military as the unrepentant militant has refuted the reports of his demise on three separate occasions that the security forces claimed to have silenced him. In a video he released in October, Shekau taunted the military saying he has “one soul”.

“Here I am, alive. I will only die the day Allah takes my breath. I am running our Islamic caliphate and administering Sharia punishments.

“Nothing will kill me until my days are over… I’m still alive. Some people asked you if Shekau has two souls. No, I have one soul, by Allah. “It is propaganda that is prevalent. I have one soul. I’m an Islamic student. I’m the Islamic student whose seminary you burnt… I’m not dead,” he had added.

 Shekau took control of the group after its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, died in police custody in July 2009. Under his leadership the group became more radical and carried out more killings. Shekau was last heard of in March when he announced Boko Haram’s alliance to the Islamic State (IS). Ahmad Sakilda, a Nigerian journalist, known to have access to commanders of the sect, had predicted that Shekau could be replaced as a result of the IS deal.