No $7m bounty for ISWAP for ‘killing’ Shekau, says U.S

THE United States of America (USA) says it will not pay the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) a promised $7 million bounty for killing Abubakar Shekau.

The United States Department Rewards for Justice Program made this known via Twitter today.

“News reports today indicate that Boko Haram terrorist Abubakar Shekau blew himself up in a confrontation with ISIS affiliates.

“Hey, ISIS guys. To clarify: no – you are not eligible for the reward for information on his identity or location. That’s not how the program works,” the US Department Rewards for Justice Program tweeted.

On June 21, 2012, the U.S. Department of State designated Shekau a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224, and placed a $7 million bounty on him.

Four years later, a splinter group backed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-backed ISWAP broke out from Boko Haram, emerging as a stronger force, carrying out complex attacks on the military.

However, an intelligence report revealed yesterday that the Boko Haram leader reportedly died following alleged invasion of the terror group’s stronghold in the Sambisa forest area by ISWAP fighters.

The report said ISWAP raided the group’s hideout using multiple gun trucks.

Shekau’s enclave was tracked down by ISWAP using its forces based in the Timbuktu Triangle.

His fighters were killed in the process, followed by a long gunfire exchange between the invading group and Shekau’s bodyguards, according to intelligence reports.

It was gathered that after his bodyguards were subdued, Shekau surrendered and engaged in an hours-long meeting with the ISWAP fighters.

During the parley, he was asked to voluntarily relinquish power and order his fighters in other areas to declare bai’a (allegiance) to ISWAP’s authority. They had expected Shekau to issue a statement.

Sources within the insurgency, however, said that Shekau who secretly had a suicide vest on eventually blew himself up alongside everyone present during the negotiations.

The identities of the people within ISWAP’s leadership who lost their lives to the explosion remain unclear.