Boko Haram has denied reports by the Nigerien army that its leader, Bakura — real name Ibrahim Mahamadu was killed in an airstrike in the Lake Chad region.
In an audio message obtained by AFP, a close aide insisted Bakura is alive, calling Niger’s claim “false propaganda.” Experts also cautioned against accepting the report, noting similar unverified claims in the past.
Bakura, who took over after Abubakar Shekau’s death in 2021, leads a splinter faction based around Lake Chad. He is accused of student kidnappings and deadly bombings across Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon. The decade-long insurgency has killed 40,000 people and displaced millions.
