Key leader of Leah’s abductors killed, says military

The Nigerian Military yesterday claimed that it has killed one of the leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the Boko Haram factional group believed to have abducted Leah Sharibu.

A statement from the Nigerian Army (NA) said that the ISWAP media chief, Ahmad Sale, was neutralised in an operation by own troops in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Air Force.

According to it, “Reports available reveal that one Sale Ahmad Sale a. k. a. Baban Hassan, the leader of Al-Barnawi media group, a faction of Boko Haram was killed by a joint operation conducted by the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force.”

The Army added, “The killing of the media leader is indicative of efforts by the NA to eliminate key members of the sect.

“It is worthy to note that the sect is directly affiliated to the Islamic State and has carried out several attacks against own troops and innocent civilians in the past.”

The Army stressed that the death of the group’s media leader has shown that the leadership of the terrorist group was being targeted successfully by the military.

It assured that other key members of the group would soon be apprehended or killed adding that it has identified the new leader of another terrorist group – Jama’atu Nus’ratul-Islami Wal-Muslimina, Abul-Fadl Iyad Gali.