A pall of uncertainty is surrounding the whereabouts of the spokesman of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, Abu Qaqa II, following fears yesterday that he might have been killed last week.
Details of the circumstances of his death were hazy last night although security sources claimed he was a victim of growing divisive tendencies in the group which has carried out gun and bomb attacks in different parts of the North for the third year running.
Abu Qaqa II is the pseudo name of Mohammed Anwal Kontagora and he took over from Abu Qaqa 1 who is also known as Abu Dardaa, Mohammed Shuaibu, Mohammed Bello, Abu Tiamiya and
Abdulrahman Abdullahi.
Abu Qaqa1 was arrested in Kaduna in February, one of the high profile members of the sect in security custody.
The motive for the killing of Abu Qaqa II was unknown at press time.
Abu Qaqa 1’s father was killed on March 26 in Maiduguri by suspected members of Boko Haram allegedly on the strength of the confessions he (Qaqa) made to interrogators about the operations of the group.
The sect denied his arrest and said the person in security custody is Abu Dardaa.
Security sources said the alleged death of Abu Qaqa II was the prime reason for the Thursday posting of the video message on You Tube by Abubakar Shekau, the fugitive Boko Haram leader.
In the video recording, Shekau said the government of President Goodluck Jonathan should forget about dismantling Boko Haram as it (government) had boasted.
However, security sources said yesterday:"The self-styled spokesman of the Boko Haram sect "Abu Qaqa" -II, may have been killed last week. He was said to have tried to denounce the sect after intensive trailing by security agencies that saw him changing locations severally.
"Abu Qaqa -II whose real name is Mohammed Anwal Kontagora was from Kontagora in Niger State. He took the name Abu Qaqa in February this year after the original Abu Qaqa, 42, also known as Abu Dardaa, Mohammed Shuaibu, Mohammed Bello, Abu Tiamiya and Abdulrahman Abdullahi was arrested January this year.
"Kontagora, like his predecessor, is non-Kanuri, so his case as applicable to every non-Kanuri was decided summarily. The sect is said to be shopping for Abu Qaqa -III as its new spokesman. This greatly accounted for its inability to either own up or dissociate itself from the Easter Sunday bomb blast in Kaduna that killed so many commercial motorcyclists and tea vendors.
"This again could have forced Imam Abubakar Shekau to personally appear on a YouTube network to reply to a statement credited to President Goodluck."
But another source added: "I think it is safe to assume that Boko Haram might be changing its media strategy. Going by the modus operandi of Boko Haram, it is not out of place for Imam Shekau to deliver a message. The Imam has been speaking with journalists on the phone in Maiduguri and he has relayed messages previously on YouTube."
Notwithstanding the situation within the sect, all military formations, security agencies and paramilitary bodies have been directed to mount 24-hour surveillance on possible hide-outs of Boko Haram members. As reported by The Nation newspaper
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