Security Forces Intensify Search For Shekau’s Grave Indications emerged yesterday that security forces in Maiduguri, Borno State have intensified the search for the grave of ‘slain’ Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, with a view to exhuming his body and properly ascertaining his demise. C ompetent military sources told National Mirror yesterday that even before the recent announcement of the death of Shekau by the Joint Taskforce, JTF, in Maiduguri, there had been surreptitious moves by intelligence operatives within the JTF to track his grave around the border areas between Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroun. As reported earlier by National Mirror, the JTF had rushed to make the announcement in order to claim credit for the achievement since it had been ordered to hand over its operations to a new army division established in the state. The Defence Headquarters had, on Sunday, August 18, announced that the command of the ongoing internal security operations in the North-East will enter a new phase the following day as the control of the mission reverts to the Army Headquarters. “Accordingly, a new army division has been created and will take off to continue the counterinsurgency operation with immediate effect. “The Nigerian Army will now be solely in charge of the operations, but still under the routine guidance of the Defence Headquarters. “A General Officer Commanding, GOC, in the rank of major-general is being proposed to command the new division which will have its headquarters in Maiduguri. He is due to take over the command and the assets of the headquarters of the JTF. “The new division is to continue with counterterrorism operations in the North-East which comes under its area of responsibility,” DHQ spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade,” had stated. He said the development was in line with the plans laid out for the conduct of the operations to execute the mandate spelt out in the State of Emergency declaration by the President. He said the first phase of operation was executed by a JTF composed of troops drawn from the services of the armed forces as well as other security agencies who conducted ‘Operation Boyona.’ However, our correspondent reliably gathered yesterday that while the JTF had perfected its plans on how to locate the grave, the new division was slowing down the process as it did not want the glory of such a ‘big find’ to go to the defunct JTF. “The JTF had perfected the plan and it seems like they were almost about locating the area but the DHQ decided that the army alone should continue with this operation. At least, you will recall that I told you the last time that the JTF hastened to make that announcement partly because it needed to take that glory. “Having been on the ground for three years, you were not expecting such a glory to have gone to a division that was just being established. “So, for obvious reasons, the plan to locate Shekau’s grave is being delayed,” said the security operative. Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.- Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, could not be immediately reached on phone while the text message sent to him was never replied. -National Mirror
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 05:39:34 +0000
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