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Shekau’s Capture and Implication for National Security

Published

8 years ago

July 28, 2017

If I had any doubt that it is end game for Boko Haram madman, Abubakar Shekau, it has disappeared with the vow of a 37-year-old Islamic cleric, Ali Ahmad to trek the whole 844 kilometers from Maiduguri to Abuja. Recent history teaches us that people make such declarations when they sense a definite outcome. Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai had a few days ago handed a 40-day deadline to the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, to capture Shekau.

The directive came at a time when remnant of the terror group made a renewed desperate push to revive their terror attacks. Only that previous claims of attacks on soft targets have now been proven beyond reasonable doubt. There is equally the desperation on the part of the group to claim or accept responsibility for any violence that they can lay claim to. If it were possible, Boko Haram will claim responsibility for the spate of flooding that has ravaged some cities.

Shekau’s capture, which is now certain, will have ramifications for national security. It must first be noted that the emphasis is on “capture” and not killed. There have been several instances of kills that were soon made doubtful once “another” Shekau make video appearances of releases audio messages. This has prompted speculations of the use of body-doubles by the evil terrorists or suggestions that “Shekau” has become like a title for Boko Haram, which a subsequent successor inherits once the previous occupant gets killed. There have also been talks that the Boko Haram leader trick fighters who bear physical resemblance with him into taking the fall each time the Army closes in.

The equally notorious leader of ISIS, Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi, left the world in similar uncertainty as it remains unclear if he died in a Russian airstrike as reported. It therefore becomes crucial that a terrorist as evil as Shekau is captured alive for humanity to get closure that the piece of thrash has been subtracted from circulation. It does not matter if it is another make-believe Shekau that is captured since, like the peeling of an onion to reveal another layer, the capture of any Shekau is one step closer to moving to another phase of the anti-terror operation in the north-east of Nigeria.

For a start, Shekau’s capture will signal an end to the brutal existence of his faction of Boko Haram, which has so far outdone even the repulsive ISIS in brutal barbarism. The Al-Barnawi faction is child’s play compared to the deranged criminality committed by Shekau and those that pledged loyalty to him. As have been seen with the Islamic State, taking its entrenched leader out of circulation would produce degree of infighting led by possible successors who would then undermine and decimate each other and consequently make the job of the military easier. There is however the outside chance that factions would simply break away and pursue a milder form of the madness they have learnt from Shekau, which means there would then be more groups to contend albeit less violent.

Secondly, capturing Shekau would provide a treasure throve of information that would be useful in dismantling his group’s various cells. He should be able to reveal cells that may not be sufficiently known to law enforcement and security. A bundled plus to this is that more of his straggling fighters should become more amenable to surrendering once the demagogue they look unto for inspiration to murder people is busy singing tunes in captivity. The military must put in place contingency plans for managing a possible uptick in the number of Boko Haram fighters that would rush to surrender once their supremo is nabbed.

This implies that the Americans might have made a mistake by killing al-Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden. Had the goal been taking him into custody as directed in Shekau’s case perhaps they would unravel other facts around his network and possibly get indications on how to tackle ISIS. What if Shekau is able to tell Nigerians the very neighbors that have allowed him free passage to enjoy his life outside Sambisa forest?

The military must prepare for an onslaught of propaganda. Shekau survived this long in the wild not because he is one deft military strategist but because he has allegedly been and is still the beneficiary of support and backing from persons that are highly placed politically, reportedly some of them are serving state officials. The strategy used for dispatching Muhammed Yusuf, Boko Haram’s founder while in police custody will not work under an Army that follows international best practices in its rules of engagement. It must therefore be expected that there will be spirited efforts to discredit not just the revelations Shekau would have to make but there will also be concerted propaganda to discredit the military so that those that would be indicted by the terrorist’s confessions would have excuses to exonerate themselves.

The alternative is for many Nigerian politicians to run away from the country if Shekau is eventually captured alive and made to call the names of his sponsors, partners and the many Boko Haram members that openly blend with government without the people knowing.
The military would therefore do well to begin building fact sheets at this point. Not just of the atrocities committed by Shekau and his Boko Haram killers but they should similarly build up details about persons that intelligence gathering has placed in the same circle as the terrorists, who for now cannot be held to account either for lack of overwhelming evidence or because of political sensitivity. Shekau’s capture will unravel whatever cover such persons had wrongly thought they had. The media must be brought in as partners for national interest in this regard since there is the danger that evil Abubakar Shekau would be reported into becoming a celebrity as experienced in the case of notorious kidnapper, Evans, who was nauseatingly referred to as “billionaire kidnapper”. If national interest matters to us, a captured Shekau must not be allowed to write this story.
Shekau may be the most virulent of the terrorists tormenting Nigeria and his capture requires that the authorities promptly channel attention to the other warlords that are either warring against the nation or are calling their followers to take up arms.

There is Al-Barnawi of the other equally toxic Boko Haram faction, there is the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) is waiting in the wings to replace Boko Haram, separatist groups like IPOB and MASSOB in the southeast and militants in the Niger-Delta. Neither the operation leading to Shekau’s capture nor the euphoria that will come with success should be allowed to distract from the danger that these other terrorists constitute to the land. Where possible simultaneous plans should be put in place for immediate implementation towards countering the threats posed by such.

Once these and other implications of Shekau’s capture for national security are appropriately assessed and addressed, more Nigerians would likely announce the distances they will trek to show appreciation that this blot on national life is finally being wiped off. The entire world has been quaking since Buratai gave that order and without any conspiracy the end of Shekau will reveal more than necessary in the days ahead.

Philip Agbese , a human rights researcher with the Global Amnesty Watch sent in this piece from the United Kingdom.

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TAU reaffirms commitment to globally competitive learning

Published

1 day ago

November 29, 2025

Our Reporter

As 16 graduands make First Class

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Thomas Adewumi University (TAU), Oko-Irese, in the Irepodun local government area of Kwara State, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening quality education, innovation, and globally competitive learning.

Speaking at the institution’s 2nd Convocation ceremony in Oko-Irese, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Francisca Onaolapo Oladipo, said TAU is living up to its ranking as the fastest growing institution in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine, and Innovation (STEM-i) ecosystem by surpassing more than 100 percent in its number of graduating students at the second convocation.

She said: “TAU emerged on April 8, 2021, as Nigeria’s fastest-growing Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Innovations (STEM-i) ecosystem. Today, we rank 1st among the 20 private universities that were licensed in
2021, 4th among the 14 Universities in Kwara State, 5th among Nigeria’s over 170 private Universities and 50th nationally, an impressive rise reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence.

”What a Moment of Extraordinary Significance today, we stand at a crossroads far more significant than words can adequately capture. Exactly one year ago, we gathered at this very Auditorium to celebrate our inaugural Convocation, a ceremony that marked the graduation of 26 pioneering students who dared to believe in a vision when others saw only impossibility. Those 26 trailblazers proved that Thomas Adewumi University was not just a dream, but a reality rooted in excellence. Today, as we honour 63 outstanding graduates, we witness something far more profound than numerical growth.

“This 142% increase in our graduating class is not merely a statistic to be recorded in annual reports, it is a declaration that Thomas Adewumi University has transcended the realm of promise and entered the domain of proof.

“We have moved from potential to performance, from aspiration to achievement, from vision to velocity.
This year, 63 graduands from 4 Faculties and 11 academic programmes are being conferred. It is noteworthy that we have 16 First Class graduates, 40 in Second Class Upper Division, and 7 in Second Class Lower Division. These results reflect the quality of training and mentorship provided at Thomas Adewumi University, and we are proud to contribute these innovators to both the Nigerian and global workforce, confident that they will make a meaningful
impact.

”Preparing Globally Competitive Graduates, these 63 graduands are not merely degree holders, they are comprehensively prepared global professionals equipped with exceptional advantages that set them apart from their peers nationwide. Through our international partnerships, these graduates have obtained additional microcredentials from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Berkeley, and Yale, world-class certifications from Alison, UK, RUDN professional University, Russia, World Bank’s Saylor Academy, Google, ICAN, and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development initiatives in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

“Our Coursera collaboration provided them with additional industry certifications, while partnerships with Microsoft, IBM SkillsBuild, and MIT OpenCourseWare through our Global Campus initiative democratize access to cutting-edge knowledge. They are thus fully equipped to embark on meaningful and innovative careers in today’s technology-driven world.”

Earlier in his Convocation Lecture, titled “Crowdfunding Opportunities forstartups: Equiping Nigerian graduates for a sustainable future”, Dr. Bayo Williams Olugbemi charged the graduads on the mindset of job creation, saying “as a graduate, your future is not defined by what Nigeria gives you, but by what you create. The idea of crowdfunding is the idea of hope. It is proof that when people come together, ideas once impossible become achievable.

“I urge you not to think only about searching for jobs. Instead, think about creating value, and if capital is a barrier, remember: “The crowd can be your first investor.”

In his goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, represented by Esther I. Eyo, Esq commended the resilience of TAU management said “NUC acknowledges TAU sustained progress in advancing quality teaching, impactful research, innovation, and community engagement, all of which align with our national aspiration for a globally competitive and knowledge-driven university system.

“It would interest you to know that, in the accreditation exercise conducted in 2023, Thomas Adewumi University achieved a 100% Full Accreditation status across all programmes assessed a laudable feat that reflects the University’s strong commitment to maintaining high academic standards.”

Also speaking, the Founder/Chancellor of the institution, Dr. (Engr) Johnson Adewumi, urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the University, adding: “Remember that your degree is not an end but a beginning, go forth with courage, humility, and a sense of responsibility. Strive to illuminate whatever space you occupy with the light of integrity, excellence and service.”

Highlight of the event was the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree on two distinguished personalities; Engr Oluseyi Afolabi and Pastor Oladokun Olatunde.

End

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photo

Published

1 day ago

November 29, 2025

Our Reporter

L-r Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during the dinner for members of the National Assembly by the First Lady yesterday. Photo: Senate President’s Office.

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JUST IN: Even Tinubu moves with too many police escorts – Senator Ndume

Published

1 day ago

November 29, 2025

Our Reporter

By Hassan Taiye

Senator Ali Ndume has criticised what he described as the excessive use of security convoys by top government officials, including President Bola Tinubu, warning that the practice leaves ordinary citizens exposed and vulnerable.

Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, Ndume said many public office holders move with security details that are unnecessarily large, even when their positions do not warrant such heavy protection.

He recalled visiting the residence of a colleague and finding “more than 10 policemen” attached to him, despite the lawmaker being junior to him in the National Assembly.

Ndume further argued that the presidential convoy itself is excessively large, stressing that security efforts should be focused on protecting the overall environment rather than individual personalities.

He said: “I went to one of my colleagues’ house for dinner. And I saw more than 10 policemen. He is even my junior in the National Assembly. Some of them, if you see them coming, you will pull back thinking that maybe it’s the President or the Vice President that is coming.
“

You can see even the president, the convoy that the president goes about with is too much. Secure the place and when the president goes, you withdraw. Secure Abuja and the president can even drive out, you know, himself.

But when you secure personalities, and this is what is happening in Nigeria, then others, common people, as we call them, become vulnerable, and we don’t care. So if you secure Abuja, then you can drive at night. And let me tell you, this is what is happening in most countries”.

The lawmaker’s comments come just days after President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escort and guard duties.

In a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the directive was aimed at redeploying police manpower to core law enforcement responsibilities.