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 neighboring 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 thousand's of Nigerians. He has not been seen in public eye since 2009, He has shown himself through youtube videos aimed at threatning 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.
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