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Reports had it on Wednesday that terrorist set, Boko Haram has a new leader following an announcement by ISIS.
Abubakar Shekau has been replaced with Abu Musab Albarnawi.
Shekau’s whereabouts is not yet clear but a journalist familiar with Boko Haram operations, Ahmad Salkida, tries to offer a glimpse into the coup that ousted Shekau.
In a series of tweets today, Salkida gives some details about the new Boko Haram leader and how he was chosen.
Recall that Boko Haram had pledged allegiance to ISIS which now controls major terror groups across the world. That made Boko Haram the West African arm of ISIS.
Salkida reports via his tweets that Shekau has fallen out of favour with ISIS headquarters due to some ideological differences. He was petitioned and ISIS headquarters took a stand.
Shekau had called the petition a coup.
An edited transcript of Salkida’s tweets reads:
The accusations against Shekau was, he killed several “members even when their crimes were trivial.” Bombs in IDPs, Mosque etc.
They also accused him of driving away ISIS military advisers and that he hoards food and ammunition, all of which Shekau denies
It appears the ideological differences could not be resolved, so ISIS took a stand and sided with Abu Musab and his followers.
Shekau repeated use of Jama‘atu Ahl as-Sunnah li-Da‘awati wal-Jihad appears he has renounced his Ba’ah to ISIS.
It was further gathered that in the past few months, Mamman Nur, Habib and several others accused Shekau of straying from their dogma of terror.
“I cannot follow a new leader who has strayed” Abu Musab Al Barnawi, who later got the backing of ISIS was quoted as saying.
While it is believed that Shekau may have severed his allegiance to ISIS, Salkida says that the ousted leader may be ready to fight back.
“I’ve replied d petitions against me to Baghdadi in so many letters.., I’ve not strayed” Shekau was quoted as saying to the new Governor of ISIS West Africa reportedly based in the Lake Chad basin, in a new audio message.
Shekau is said to be insistent on the belief that the rival leaders staged a coup and manipulated ISIS headquarters. “Let each one of us send our ‘Aqida’ in writing” he said in the message.
But who is new leader, Abu Musab Albarnawi?
Salkida explains:
Dear experts, many traders are called AlBarnawi if they are from Borno, in North Africa/Middle East. If you are Peter, you may be called Peter Albarnawi.
Abu Musab Albarnawi is son of late Moh’d Yusuf, Yusuf’s grandson is called Musab. The new governor is from Borno, hence the name Albarnawi.
We are gripped with the attribution of Al Barnawi (a person from Borno), there are dozens of Barnawis, what matters is the name before it?