Stephen Davis,The Australian Boko Haram negotiator, Confirms Shekau Is Dead

Stephen Davis, the Australian who is famous to Nigerians for negotiating with Boko Haram leaders over the release of the Chibok girls, disclosed when the sect leader Abubakar Shekau was killed.

His claims follow the controversy surrounding the recent “killing” of “Shekau”. It was reported Sunday, September 21, that the commander, who has been mimicking Shekau” in recent videos was killed in Konduga September 17.

The impersonator was later identified as Bashir Mohammed, who might have picked up the war name of the real Abubakar Shekau.

The details of the operation which lead to the death of the terrorist were soon revealed.

Davis, who has made a series of claims regarding how some Nigerian politicians sponsor Boko Haram and even named them, said the real Shekau was killed  in June 2013.

In an e-mail to Vanguard the Australian negotiator said:
“I continue to hold to the position that Shekau was killed on or about June 19, 2013 when we were close to concluding a peace deal. Videos immediately prior to that time were produced using a “fake” Shekau.

The fake Skekau is Isa Damsaka. It was confirmed to me by Boko Haram that he was killed in the recent military engagement at Konduga.”

Interestingly, Davis gives the different name, while it was learnt yesterday that the impersonator’s name was allegedly Bashir Mohammed.

According to Davis, most of insurgents had never met the real Shekau, but were just told that he was their leader. He reinstated once again:

“The real Shekau is dead. The Shekau the world has been seeing in videos is a “fake” and Boko Haram fighters have been fooled. They have followed blindly.

“The message of Boko Haram purifying Islam is also fake. When the Boko Haram leaders broke the news of Shekau’s death in June last year, they said he had diverted from the Holy Qu’ran through the kidnappings, rapes and beheadings. The fake Shekau continued these atrocities under the patronage of the sponsors and escalated their terrorist activities. Shekau is dead but they will try to find another to perpetuate the lie.”

Thus Davis said now it was the time for the sect commanders to free the abducted Chibok girls for the sake of the peace in the North-East.

“Let commanders come forward and release a large number of girls as a first step towards a peace dialogue. I have no doubt the sponsors will try to prevent any commander releasing the girls as part of a peace deal. The pressure must therefore be put on the sponsors so the commanders can come forward.”


NigerianEye