Abubakar Shekau, also known by the alias "Darul Tawheed" ("the abode of monotheism")....
he is the Islamist leader of the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram.
He served as deputy leader to the group's founder, Mohammed Yusuf, until Yusuf was killed in 2009. Nigerian authorities believed that Shekau was killed in 2009 during clashes between security forces and Boko Haram until July 2010 when he appeared in a video claiming leadership of the group.
Profile
Shekau is an ethnic Kanuri but also speaks Hausa, Arabic, and English. Shekau claims to be an intellectual and theologian who studied Islam "under a traditional cleric."
In videos Shekau posted online, he often boasted about his invincibility, mocked various armies and stated that he "cannot be stopped" and "cannot die except by the will of Allah". He also boasted about being in possession of armoured tanks and other combat vehicles. He frequently spoke about the Quran in his online videos.
In June 2012 the United States Department of Statedesignated Shekau as a terrorist and effectively froze any of his assets in the United States.
Since June 2013, [ 8 ]the U.S. State Department has a standing rewardof US$7 million for information leading to Shekau's capture through its Rewards for Justiceprogram.
The Nigerian army has additionally offered a ₦50 million reward (approximately US$300,000) for Shekau.
Shekau survived being shot in the leg during an attempt on his life by Nigerian security forces. [ 2 ]He took credit for the kidnapping of over 200 school girls in April 2014. [ 5 ]After his near death, he increased his violent attacks. [ 5 ]Shekau also announced that the kidnapped girls have been converted to Islam.
He had claimed to be waging a jihad against Christianity.
His online videos frequently depict anti-American rhetoric and he had made multiple threats to attack the U.S.
Shekau has neither the charismatic streak nor the oratorical skills of his predecessor - but he has an intense ideological commitment and ruthlessness, say people who study the group. "He is the leader of the more militant wing of the group as testified by his aping of Osama Bin Laden in his video appearances," says Abubakar Mu'azu from the University of Maiduguri. Shekau is also the group's spiritual leader - and, judging by video footage, he seems equally comfortable delivering sermons to his followers. But Nigeria's mainstream Muslim clerics do not regard Shekau as a scholar and question his understanding of Islam.
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