The Borno State Government has revealed that more than 95 per cent of insurgents with Boko Haram ideology, especially the founding members of the deadly group are either dead or already surrendered.
Special Adviser to the Borno State governor on Security Affairs, Brig.-Gen. Ishaq Abdullahi (Rtd) made the revelation on Sunday when he addressed newsmen in Maiduguri, the state’s capital.
Abdullahi stressed that the leadership of the deadly group was in disarray as only about 10 of its founding members might still be alive.
The governor’s aide added that many top commanders of the sect have died from leadership tussles between the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and the Boko Haram insurgents loyal to the late Abubakar Shekau after his death.
He said, “One of their leaders said out of 300 of them that started the Boko Haram sect in pre-2009, less than 10 people could be alive now. Even the remaining 10 leaders have scattered due to the game of powers.
“Some are dead as a result of snake bites in the bush, some died as a result of military actions, some drown during rainy seasons, some died due to gunshot wounds; some as a result of massive surrendering we have witnessed in the last two years,” the retired Army General said.
He noted that other leaders of the dreaded sect have also died from in-fighting among them due to leadership positions, especially after the death of the late leader of Shekau.
He noted that more than 90 per cent of the die-hards with Boko Haram ideology have died after Shekau’s demise.
Abdullahi, on the part of ISWAP, revealed also that many of its top commanders have similarly lost their lives to several crises.
“So, if you look at it, the ideology is gone and I can tell you that those parading themselves now are criminals who don’t have the ideology,” he said.
