Boko Haram, the group Islamist militants at the heart of the mass kidnapping of schoolgirls in Nigeria, has emerged as a terrorist group that needs to be reckoned with. According to reports, Boko Harm’s boldest moves came into play when current leader Abubakar Shekau came into the fold.
As evidenced this week, Shekau embraces the role of master villain and continually thumbs his nose at Nigerian authority. Boko Haram, roughly translated into “Western education is sin,” is looking to transform Nigeria by promoting Sharia law. In simple terms, Shekau and his followers want a strict adherence to Islamic law without the slightest of compromise.
Shekau is a mysterious figure, which adds to the tension regarding the safety of the 276 schoolgirls his soldiers have kidnapped from the Northeast region of Borno State.
Here are 10 things we know about Abubakar Shekau. Feel free to add more details in the comments.
[NY Mag]
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Photos: YouTube, CNN
His Actual Age Is Unknown
Although authorities list the leader’s full name as Abubakar Muhammad Shekau, he is either in is mid-thirties or mid-forties according to various sources.
His Birthplace Is Also Unclear
Reports clash on where Shekau was born. Some allege that he was born in the Shekau village in the Yobe, Nigeria. Others write that he was born in Niger.
Shekau Has Been Reported Dead Twice
Shekau was believed dead by Nigerian officials after the country’s forces stormed the group’s main mosque in the town of Maiduguri and cornered the group’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf. Dyestuff later died in police custody and officials thought Shekau was killed in the melee. A 2010 video proved that theory wrong.
There Is Several Million Dollars On Shekau’s Head
The United States view Shekau as a terrorist they desperately want to eradicate, and is offering a $7 million bond.
Shekau Is Reportedly An Intellectual And Theologian
Shekau came to embrace the radical form of Islam after traveling to Maiduguri, the town where Boko Haram was founded in 1990. Before he came to power, Shekau was said to be a devout student of Islam, which fuels his current devotion to the group.
Shekau Commands His Followers With Fear
Even though reports say Shekau is a man of few words, he was known as a ruthless and fearless lieutenant under Yusuf. After Yusuf was killed, many say Shekau came to power because of his propensity for violence.
Under Shekau, Boko Haram Has Claimed Thousands Of Lives
According to a Human Rights Watch report, Shekau has ordered the killing of thousands of Christians and Muslims he feels do not follow the rule of Islam to his standards. The report says 3,000 lives have been lost since Shekau’s rise to power in 2009.
Shekau Is Also Known As Darul Tawheed
Darul Tawheed is a nickname Shekau uses which roughly translates to “specialist in Tawheed. Tawheed is part of orthodox Islamic doctrine and speaks of the “oneness” of Allah.
Shekau Married One Of Yusuf’s Wives For Purity
Shekau married one of his mentor Mohammed Yusuf’s four wives, thought by some experts to main the “purity” of the Boko Haram family.
Shekau Fashions Himself After Osama Bin Laden
Shekau’s group has ties with the Taliban, and the group was actually born of an earlier faction called the Nigerian Taliban. Like Osama Bin Laden, Shekau is a devout Muslim driven by radical ideals. In fact, the Islamic Maghreb, a faction of the North African Al Qaeda movement, has reportedly given Boko Haram financial support.
