It seems like very little
is known about this leader that has sparked terror in the heart of
Nigerians and stirred chaos all over the world. Abubakar Shekau,
the leader of Boko Haram, translating "Western education is sinful' is
known as a master of disguise. Here are 10 facts about him.
1) RELIGIOUS SCHOLAR: Shekau was born in Shekau village that borders Niger. He studied under a cleric and then attended Borno State College of Legal and Islamic Studies for higher studies on Islam. That's why he's also known as 'Darul Tawheed,' which translates to an expert in monotheism, or the oneness of Allah.
2) POLYGOT: He speaks multiple languages (Hausa, Arabic, Kanuri, and Fulani) except English, which makes sense since he's claiming 'western education is sinful'.
3) LONER: He doesn't speak directly with his own members; he communicates through very few selected confidants. As a master of disguise, he uses different aliases: He uses many aliases: Abu Bakr Skikwa, Imam Abu Bakr Shiku, and Abu Muhammad Abu Bakr Bin Muhammad Al Shakwi Al Muslimi Bishku e.t.c.
4) MERCILESS: After the assassination of the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf and approximately 700 followers, Shekau has spared no one in his killings: children, police officers, students, Christians, government workers, and innocent citizens.
5) ELUSIVE: No one knows how old he really is. The U.S. State Department has Shekau's year of birth listed as 1965, 1969 and 1975.
6) CARRIED OUT HIS WICKED THREATS: It was in May 2013 that Shekau first announced in a video that Boko Haram would start kidnapping girls. The kidnappings, he said, were retaliation for Nigerian security forces nabbing the wives and children of group members. The most horrifying instance was last month's abduction of 276 girls from a girl's school. "I abducted your girls," he taunted with a chilling smile in a new video that surfaced this week. "There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell."
7) REPORTED DEAD SEVERAL TIMES: The Nigerian military has touted Shekau's death several times, only to retract its claim after he appeared alive and vibrant in propaganda videos.
8) EFFECTIVE RECRUITER: Shekau has done a good job of convincing residents that the powers in Abuja are corrupt and a better system of government would be a strict enforcement of Islamic Sharia law across Nigeria. And his promise, coupled with a weapon and a license to plunder, has been enticing to hundreds of young men.
Also, he seems to have informal links with militant Islamist groups in Mali and Niger.
9) GOVERNMENT IRRESPONSIVE: The country's own Human Rights Commission last year accused the military of arbitrary killings, torture and rape in its campaign against the group. This makes for fertile territory for Boko Haram.
10) $7 MILLION BOUNTY ON HIS HEAD: Shekau has been on the radar of U.S. officials since he came to power in 2009. Last June, the United States put a bounty on him, offering a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to his location.
Shekau continues to hit Nigeria with his brutal blows (bombings, rape, kidnappings, killings) and the effect is being felt all over the world. Several Nigerians gather to protest for the safety of their loved ones in Canada, Europe, U.S., and in other countries, hoping for the safe return of the kidnapped schoolgirls.
Although Nigeria has been reported as Africa's #1 economy, its lack of security enforcement has resurfaced and drawn shame to the power-housed country.
1) RELIGIOUS SCHOLAR: Shekau was born in Shekau village that borders Niger. He studied under a cleric and then attended Borno State College of Legal and Islamic Studies for higher studies on Islam. That's why he's also known as 'Darul Tawheed,' which translates to an expert in monotheism, or the oneness of Allah.
2) POLYGOT: He speaks multiple languages (Hausa, Arabic, Kanuri, and Fulani) except English, which makes sense since he's claiming 'western education is sinful'.
3) LONER: He doesn't speak directly with his own members; he communicates through very few selected confidants. As a master of disguise, he uses different aliases: He uses many aliases: Abu Bakr Skikwa, Imam Abu Bakr Shiku, and Abu Muhammad Abu Bakr Bin Muhammad Al Shakwi Al Muslimi Bishku e.t.c.
4) MERCILESS: After the assassination of the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf and approximately 700 followers, Shekau has spared no one in his killings: children, police officers, students, Christians, government workers, and innocent citizens.
5) ELUSIVE: No one knows how old he really is. The U.S. State Department has Shekau's year of birth listed as 1965, 1969 and 1975.
6) CARRIED OUT HIS WICKED THREATS: It was in May 2013 that Shekau first announced in a video that Boko Haram would start kidnapping girls. The kidnappings, he said, were retaliation for Nigerian security forces nabbing the wives and children of group members. The most horrifying instance was last month's abduction of 276 girls from a girl's school. "I abducted your girls," he taunted with a chilling smile in a new video that surfaced this week. "There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell."
7) REPORTED DEAD SEVERAL TIMES: The Nigerian military has touted Shekau's death several times, only to retract its claim after he appeared alive and vibrant in propaganda videos.
8) EFFECTIVE RECRUITER: Shekau has done a good job of convincing residents that the powers in Abuja are corrupt and a better system of government would be a strict enforcement of Islamic Sharia law across Nigeria. And his promise, coupled with a weapon and a license to plunder, has been enticing to hundreds of young men.
Also, he seems to have informal links with militant Islamist groups in Mali and Niger.
9) GOVERNMENT IRRESPONSIVE: The country's own Human Rights Commission last year accused the military of arbitrary killings, torture and rape in its campaign against the group. This makes for fertile territory for Boko Haram.
10) $7 MILLION BOUNTY ON HIS HEAD: Shekau has been on the radar of U.S. officials since he came to power in 2009. Last June, the United States put a bounty on him, offering a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to his location.
Shekau continues to hit Nigeria with his brutal blows (bombings, rape, kidnappings, killings) and the effect is being felt all over the world. Several Nigerians gather to protest for the safety of their loved ones in Canada, Europe, U.S., and in other countries, hoping for the safe return of the kidnapped schoolgirls.
Although Nigeria has been reported as Africa's #1 economy, its lack of security enforcement has resurfaced and drawn shame to the power-housed country.
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