A report by Nigerian Pilot indicates that 30 members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect have been killed in a clash between the leaders of the sect over who will succeed slain Abubakar Shekau.
The man widely believed to be Boko Haram’s leader and who has been posing as Abubakar Shekau in the Boko Haram propaganda videos was killed by the Nigerian military troops in Konduga.
The clash ensued on Thursday, September 25, 2014 when the sect leaders who allegedly converged on a community in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, disagreed on the need to continue their arm struggle following the death of Shekau, the report says.
Madagali is one of the local government areas in the North-East zone overrun by the insurgents which they have turned to their operational headquarters.
Some of the Islamist extremists supported dialogue with the Federal Government and sheathe their swords, while others reportedly insisted they should continue in their terror acts.
According to the source, trouble started when the sect members could not reach a consensus on who should be the new leader. A free-for-all fight ensued, gunfire was exchanged and 30 of them were killed.
Sources say the meeting had gone well until some of the members declared that the game was over and that they should ceasefire, surrender and hand over weapons to the Federal Government.
A resident speaking to the press in Yola on Thursday said: “Over 30 Boko Haram sect members died yesterday in Madagali town after a fight that ensued among them over disagreement to surrender their weapons. They just kept shooting one another sporadically.’’
Residents said that many of the insurgents who wanted to abandon the struggle had their fingers cut-off while others were given corporal punishments.
Security sources are yet to comment on the issue.
