Wanted Boko Haram leader killed with dad –JTF

The Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Restore Order in Borno State, yesterday cleared the air on the killing of a Boko Haram’s wanted leader and second-in-command, Momodu Bama, (aka Abu Saad) in Adamawa State. Read more

Security forces in neighbouring Adamawa State had announced the killing of Bama in a shoot-out.  He was deputy to the fleeing leader of the Islamist sect, Imam Abubakar Shekau.

JTF spokesman, Lt Colonel Sagir Musa, yesterday said on the contrary, that Bama was killed with his father, Abatcha Flatari, who he said, was the spiritual mentor of the insurgents.

He said they were killed at Bama on August 4 in a clash with security forces in Borno. “There is no conflict of interest between us and our colleagues in Adamawa as the JTF in Borno is only setting the record straight.

Terrorists all over the world have penchant for adopting names of their leader especially after they are killed.  The man killed by the Task Force in Adamawa might have adopted Bama’s name. Terrorists are known for bearing pseudo names too. We declared Bama wanted since with N25 million bounty and not N10 million,” Sagir Musa told journalists.

In a press release signed by the spokesman, the JTF said both Momodu Bama and his father were killed during “Boko Haram terrorists’ attack on mobile Police Base and Bama town on 4 August, 2013.”

It described Bama as “a heartless killer in the group with penchant for slaughtering his victims,” adding, “he had a bounty of N25 million placed on him by the JTF.

“Momodu Bama’s father, Abatcha Flatari, was one of the spiritual mentors of Boko Haram terrorists in charge of indoctrinating child foot soldiers, who are mainly abducted children,” the statement said.

The JTF had since 2012 declared 25 leaders of the sect wanted with various sums of reward. Momodu Bama was the fourth on the wanted list with N25 million.

He was said to be an indigene of Bama town, East of Borno.

He was reported to be a member of Boko Haram Shurra (highest decision making body) before his reported killing.

From TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, Maiduguri

Culled from The Sun newspaper