The Head of the Terrorist sect Boko Haram Abubakar
Shekau hails from Niger Republic according to the Senate joint committee that investigated
the Baga town Deaths.
This news shatters the widely believed notion
that he was born in Shekau village in Yobe state
Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima himself told
visiting senators that the man was actually from the neighbouring Republic of
Niger.
The senators were also informed that although the
sect has some foreigners, 80% of the sect members where from the Kanuri tribe
saying that the leader is a Kanuri from Niger Republic.
After Mohammed Yussuf's death Shekau became the
leader of the sect bringing death and anguish to thousands of Nigerians.
He has not been seen in public eye since 2009, He
has shown himself through youtube videos aimed at threatening the Jonathan led
Nigerian Government and claiming responsibility of attacks by the group.
The Senate on April 23 mandated its committees on
Defense and Army, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to
investigate the Baga violence in which local leaders accused soldiers of
killing 185 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes.
Military authorities had denied conducting
indiscriminate killings, saying only 37 people died in a gun battle between
soldiers from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and Boko Haram
fighters. In its report, the Senate committee disputed the Baga death toll given
by both sides but failed to provide a specific figure.
“The death toll of 185 was exaggerated but there
may be more than 37 deaths. This is possible as there is no documentary
evidence from either the natives or the military to ascertain figure quoted,”
the report said. The report also tried to exonerate the military, saying the
incident was caused by Boko Haram who pulled out an army officer from a bus and
killed him on March 29, and also killed another soldier on April 16.
In its recommendations, the 28-member Senate
panel urged troops on internal security operations to adhere to the provisions
of the Geneva Convention, Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement in order to
minimise casualties. The committee called on President Goodluck Jonathan to
direct the armed forces to carry out urgent recruitment of soldiers and
officers as insurgency has overstretched the military.
Source: Naij.com
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