Following the announcement, Monday, by the Joint Task
Force, JTF, of the possible death of Boko Haram leader,
Abubakar Shekau, after he sustained gunshot injuries in a
clash with Nigerian troops, the United States Government
has launched a probe to verify the claim.
US State Department Deputy spokesperson, Ms. Marie Harf,
while responding to a question in Washington DC on
Tuesday on whether US had any information about the
possible death of Shekau, said: “We have seen these reports
and (we) are working to ascertain the facts.”
Commenting on his reported death, Harf described Shekau
as the most visible leader of Boko Haram, adding, “if his
death – it turns out to be true, the loss of such a central
and well known figure would set back Boko Haram’s
operations and remove a key voice from its efforts to
mobilise violent extremists in Nigeria and around the
world.”
She however added that that was not the first time the
Boko Haram leader would be declared dead, adding, “as
many of you know, he was also falsely reported dead in
2009.”
The US official however said her country will continue to
support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, recalling that
as recent as August 15, Under-Secretary Wendy Sherman
was in Nigeria where she held discussions about regional
security, including how both countries could further partner
to develop and implement effective counter-terrorism
measures.
Meanwhile, the federal government yesterday pleaded with
Nigerians to give the military the benefit of the doubt,
following criticisms that had trailed the reported death of
Shekau.
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