I Remain Boko Haram Leader, Al-Barnawi Trying to Plot Coup Against Me – Shekau

Embattled leader of the degraded Boko Haram insurgent group, Abubakar Shekau, has re-asserted his leadership role of the group.

Reports had it yesterday that the deadly terrorist group, Islamic State Jihadist group, ISIS, had replaced Shekau with Abu Musab al- Barnawi.

The Islamic State militant group on Wednesday announced Abu Musab al-Barnawi as its West African affiliate ‘Boko Haram’s new leader.

Shekau in the 10-minute 23-second audio message in Arabic and Hausa which SaharaReporters monitored in New York said he was deceived, but he will never stray from the ideology of the Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah li-Da’awati wal-Jihad which he said had a basis in the Quran.

Shekau in the recorded message said nothing would deter the sect from pursuing it’s cause even if they are called ‘kwawarij’ meaning those that opposed arbitration as a means to chose a new leader.

The new Shekau message coming after one year of silence has clearly confirmed the ideological differences and friction in Boko Haram hierarchy and failure to resolve their differences which might have led to the IS declaring Abu Musab al-Banawi as the new leader of the deadly sect.

Authoritative sources have also confirmed that Shekau has been against IS advisors sent to train his fighters, he is also accused of hoarding food, ammunition and recklessly killing Muslims, allegation denied by Shekau in his taped message.

Shekau is said to be high-handed, killing off his fighters under the slightest excuses without recourse to in-depth findings of their misdemeanors, to completely derailthese his adversaries to derail completely from the ideology of the sect as prescribed by the principles of Jihad.

The idealogical uprising in the sect in another premise is said to hinge on attacks targeted at Internally Displaced Persons, Mosques and other places of worship some Boko Haram fighters considered impure.

Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the purported new leader according to a famous journalist, Ahmed Halkida who has been following book Haram since its emergence said al-Bernawi is the son of late Mohammed Yusuf, the founder of Boko Haram who was extra-judicially murdered by the Nigerian police in 2009.

As at the time of this report, there is high indication that al-Banarwi will equally reply Shekau with his version of events.

Boko Haram continues to hold several high school students kidnapped from Chibok hostage at an unknown destination.