Abu Musab al-Barnawi: Nigeria confam death of Iswap leader – See wetin to know

Nigeria military don announce di death of Abu Musab al-Barnawi, di head of di West African branch of di Islamic State group.

“He don die and e no go ever wake,” na so di Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor tok.

Gen Irabor no give any informate on how Barnawi take die.

For September, tori comot say Barwani don die.

Di Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) neva comment on di Nigeria military claim.

Iswap na di strongest jihadist group for Nigeria since di death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau earlier dis year.

Since Shekau death, thousands of Boko Haram fighters don surrender both to di military and according to reports to Iswap.

For dis archive picture, Abubakar Shekau (C) show wit other Boko Haram members

AFP

Who be Barnawi?

Na very small informate dey about Barnawi, dis include im age and wetin im look like.

Dem born am as Habib Yusuf, and di believe be say im na di eldest son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf.

Many pipo believe say e beta small as e shun Boko Haram more extreme policies like to use children as suicide bombers, and di manner dem take dey attack Muslims.

Afta im papa die for police custody in 2009, dem appoint Shekau as di group new leader.

Barnawi bin work as di tok-tok pesin for Boko Haram, but most time im bin dey clash wit Shekau and other senior leaders.

For 2013 e port go Ansaru – wey break from Boko Haram and get ties to al-Qaeda.

Even wit dia differences, di two groups dey work togeda sometimes.

To help raise Boko Haram international profile, Shekau collabo wit di Islamic State (IS) for 2015.

Di following year, IS name Barnawi as Boko Haram new wali (Arabic for governor), dis cause serious internal fight.

Analysts believe say di change of leadership na sake of ideological clashes between Shekau and IS’ central leadership.

IS newspaper al-Nabaa bin publish one interview wit Barnawi for August 2016. Inside di article, e describe di group battle wit West African states as battle against “apostates” or traitors and “crusaders” or pipo wey dey promote change.

E threaten say as leader, im go order di killing of Christians and di bombing of churches.

But inside one major shift for strategy for di group, e swear to end unnecessary attacks on mosques and markets.

No be everybody welcome di change of leadership, and Shekau accuse Barnawi say e dey plan coup.

Sake of di fight-figt, members wey loyal to Islamic State join Iswap, wey Barnawi lead, while Shekau remain as di head of Boko Haram.

Di groups since den remain serious rivals.

Shekau Boko Haram leader

AFP

Iswap announce say Shekau die for May afta e run from one battle wit Iswap fighters – as e choose to explode im suicide vest instead of make e surrender.

Iswap say di operation dem dey do for Nigeria Sambisa forest, na direct order from Islamic State central leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi.

According to Nigerian outlet HumAngle, Barnawi share news of Shekau death for inside one audio recording for June, say e commit “unimaginable terrorism.”

“When time reach, Allah arrange brave sojas afta e receive orders from di leader of di believers,” Barnawi tok.

Later dat month, alleged Boko Haram militants confam say Shekau don die for inside one video wey Nigerian tori pipo and security analysts publish.

IS don also confam di details of how Shekau take die and boast say “thousands” of Boko Haram fighters don join dem.

Under Barnawi leadership, Iswap make territorial gains for northern Nigeria, and for di Lake Chad Basin.

E also dey active for neighbouring countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Mali.

The group don capture many military base, corner weapons and supplies from regional military forces.

Dem dey also tax local residents to provide am wit source of income, plus dia business wey dem dey do like fishing.