The Borno State Government has disclosed that over 95% of individuals with Boko Haram ideology, particularly the founding members, have either perished or surrendered.
Brig. Gen. Ishaq Abdullahi (Rtd), the Special Adviser to the Borno State Government on Security Affairs, shared this information in an interview in Maiduguri on Sunday. He added that the leadership of the group is in disarray, with approximately 10 of the founding members possibly still alive.
Many top commanders died due to power struggles between Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and Boko Haram insurgents loyal to the late Abubakar Shekau following his death in 2021.
“One of their leaders said out of 300 of them that started the Boko Haram sect in pre-2009, less than 10 people could be alive now. Even the remaining 10 leaders have scattered due to the game of powers.
“Some are dead as a result of snake bites in the bush, some died as a result of military actions, some drowned during rainy seasons, some died due to gunshot wounds, some as a result of massive surrendering we have witnessed in the last two years.
“Some as a result of in-fighting among them because of the leadership positions, especially after the death of Shekau and that has led to the death of more than 90 per cent of the die-hards with Boko Haram ideology.
“On the other hand, many top commanders of ISWAP have lost their lives to several crises among them,” he said.
