Leader Of Boko Haram Faction In Official Talks With FG Claims Responsibility For Deadly Kano Bombings, Says Abubakar Shekau Still Alive

mohammedmarwa1Self-appointed leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Marwana, who is purportedly in negotiations with the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, yesterday declared that his faction carried out the deadly multiple bombings that killed over 30 people in the Sabon-Gari area of Kano State last week.

Marwana, who claimed to be second-in-command to leader of the radical Islamist sect – Imam Abubakar Shekau – before he deposed him for refusing to embrace peace as proposed by the Federal Government, stated that the attacks were carried out as a warning to clear the air over any doubts as to whom the authentic leader of the sect is now.

According to an audio message obtained by Saharareporters, Marwana was quoted as saying in Hausa language:

“I personally instructed the attack in Kano to prove to the world that, I am the real leader of Boko Haram because there have been retrogressive forces on the issue of dialogue, who kept doubting my leadership in the sect. I told them ahead that there will be attack, and it has happened. It is a warning, and we need to say again that we carried out the attacks in Kano”.

Marwana also debunked speculations that Imam Shekau is dead. According to him, as at the time he recorded the audio, the deposed sect leader was alive and that nothing has happened to him except that he lost leadership of the sect.

His stance is in response to media reports corroborated by military authorities that Shekau was shot in the arm and thigh for stubbornly refusing to stop carrying out attacks and negotiate a cease fire deal with the FG.

“Shekau is alive contrary to speculations, except that he lost leadership of the sect. I will not tell you where he is, but he is alive, and we talked with him not up to three hours ago, except if he died while I am talking,” he was again quoted as saying.

 

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