REVEALED: How Boko Haram Leader Shekau Killed Himself as ISWAP Forces Encircled His Forest Stronghold
New details have emerged about the final hours of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, revealing he detonated a suicide vest in May 2021 after fighters from the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) surrounded his camp in Nigeria's vast Sambisa Forest. In the closing days of May 2021, ISWAP fighters advanced into the forest in coordinated columns, broadcasting messages that they sought only Shekau and promising safety to fighters who surrendered. Witnesses described a scene of confusion and panic as the cordon tightened, with many of Shekau's fighters abandoning their posts. The Final Confrontation As ISWAP completed the encirclement, negotiators once more urged Shekau to surrender. He refused. ISWAP later stated Shekau died between May 18 and 19, 2021, by triggering an explosive vest when capture became inevitable. His death was confirmed days later, ending years of conflicting reports about his fate. The Legacy of a Notorious Leader ...