A newly released journalistic work by Ahmad Salkida shed light on a lesser-known chapter in the life of Abubakar Shekau, the notorious leader of Boko Haram.
The account revealed how Shekau, during his years of terror, lived under disguise while recovering from a serious injury.
Ahmad Salkida’s report revealed Shekau’s hidden life in Kano using the alias Alhaji Garba.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau secretly lived in Kano under disguise after the July 2009 assault.
Shekau wounded in July 2009 assault
According to the report, Shekau sustained a gunshot wound during a night assault on the Police Headquarters on July 27, 2009. The bullet tore through his thigh, forcing him to retreat from public view.
Salkida wrote that Shekau was moved from Maiduguri to Kano, where he was admitted to an Orthopaedic Hospital. He reportedly spent months nursing his wounds, first in hospital and later in a rented house in the Rijiyan Zaki area of Kano metropolis.
Adoption of pseudonym Alhaji Garba
The account highlighted how Shekau adopted a false identity during this period.
“This was when he adopted a pseudonym – Alhaji Garba hiding his true identity from neighbours and strangers,” the work stated.
The revelation offered a rare glimpse into Shekau’s life away from the battlefield. It showed how the Boko Haram leader managed to conceal himself in plain sight, even as security forces sought to track him down.
The report published by Humangle Media provided fresh insight into Abubakar Shekau’s hidden movements during a critical period in 2009. It depicted how the Boko Haram leader relied on secrecy and disguise to survive while recovering from his injuries.
Shekau adopted a false identity in Kano while recovering from his police headquarters gunshot wound.
What is Boko Haram?
Boko Haram is a militant Islamist group that originated in Nigeria in 2002 under the leadership of Mohammed Yusuf.
The group’s official name is Jamāʿat Ahl al-Sunna lil-Daʿawah wa al-Jihād, but it became widely known as Boko Haram, meaning “Western education is forbidden.”
After Yusuf’s death in 2009, Abubakar Shekau took over, intensifying the insurgency. Boko Haram carried out bombings, kidnappings, and attacks across Nigeria and neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Its campaign displaced millions and caused thousands of deaths. In later years, the group split, with factions aligning with the Islamic State.
Nigerian troops capture 2 boko haram logistics suppliers
Earlier reported that the Nigerian Army continues to record success in the fight against insurgency as they pounce on terrorists in the northern region of the country.
The gallant troops of 195 Battalion, Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) arrested two suspected Boko Haram logistics suppliers in Borno state.
Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the army director of public relations, confirming this said the troops nabbed the suppliers on Saturday, July 3, within Muna general area of the northern state.
