The notorious leader of the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, Sani Shuwaram, and other terrorists of the sect have been killed after airstrikes in the Marte axis, PRNigeria has reported.
According to the report, Super Tucanos and other aircraft of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, executed multiple bombardments in the axes where Mr Shuwaram’s camps were located.
Mr Shuwaram, in particular, was said to have died from gunshot wounds he had sustained when military fighter jets raided ISWAP camp at the Sabon Tumbuns general area of Lake Chad.
The news of the killing of Mr Shuwaram was also corroborated by a highly placed intelligence source involved in the counter-insurgency operation in the Northeast who told PRNigeria on condition of anonymity.
Shuwaram was among terrorists injured by NAF air interdiction missions conducted at Sabon Tumbuns near Kirta Wulgo in February 2022. Subsequent airstrikes in the following days might have led to his death alongside other ISWAP fighters where they were receiving treatment including Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi,” the source said.
Meanwhile, PRNigeria gathered that one Mallam Bako Gorgore has been nominated as the new Wali of ISWAP to replace Shuwaram.
When contacted, NAF Spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said that NAF aircraft with the support of ground troops have sustained military offensive at Tumbuns, close to Kirta Wulgo in Marte LGA within the Lake Chad Region, but declined to confirm the death of Mr Shuwaram.
Mr Gabkwet said: “I cannot confirm the death of any leaders of the terrorists. We don’t want to be dragged into making any statement or confirmation based on rumours or hearsay.
Nevertheless, our troops at the frontline alongside other agencies have sustained massive strike at the hearts of terrorist leaders and their enclaves until we get this job done”.
Recall that members of the ISWAP Shura (Judicial) Council, in November 2021, appointed Shuwaram, 45, as a new Leader (Wali) in Lake Chad.
Sani Shuwaram replaced Aba-Ibrahim, who was appointed by Abu-Mosab Albarnawi’s Interim Committee, following a directive from the Headquarters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), in August 2021.
Mr Shuwaram was sworn by an Alkali (Judge) Bukar Arge, in a brief ceremony in Kurnawa, a remote camp in the Lake Chad Basin fringes, considered as the de-facto headquarters of ISWAP, in Abadam Local Government Area in Borno state.