The Nigerian
Military says 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 on Saturday, revealed that the ISWAP media chief, Ahmad
Sale, was neutralised in an operation by troops in conjunction with personnel
of the Nigerian Air Force.
“Reports
available reveal that one Sale Ahmad Sale aka 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,” it said.
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
pointed out 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
Nigerians that other key members of the group would soon be apprehended or
killed, as the fight against insurgency continues in the country.
The Army
disclosed further that it has identified the new leader of another terrorist
group – Jama’atu Nus’ratul-Islami Wal-Muslimina, Abul-Fadl Iyad Gali.
“The group
is a new terrorist group which Ansaru is affiliated to. In the same vein, the
identification of the leader of Jama’atu Nus’ratul-Islami Wal-Muslimina group
would enable the NA to target the group effectively using advanced technologies
in its arsenal,” it added.
The Boko
Haram factional group had abducted Leah and over 100 students from the Government
Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State in February this year.
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