BY Chidi Chima
Nigeria’s shaky military relationship with western nations risks further set-back after facts emerged that the alleged impostor of Abubakar Shekau was captured alive before he was killed.
This would violate the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war.
Although the US and its allies have been openly supporting Nigeria’s war against terror, they have so far not offered any significant support for the country in the bid to defeat Boko Haram, defence sources have told TheCable.
It is now feared that since the US is basing its passiveness on the alleged war crimes committed by Nigerian soldiers, it may even become harder for the country to secure arms deals with the circumstances surrounding the killing of “Shekau”.
There is also concern the US may continue to frustrate Nigeria’s efforts to secure arms to fight the insurgency.
There were reports recently that the $9.3 million found on a private jet in South Africa was meant to purchase arms through a third party after America’s refusal to do deals with Nigeria.
It was further reported that South Africa’s hard stance over the affair was an extension of the cold war before the two countries.
Amnesty International has often indicted Nigerian soldiers in its reports on the insurgency and its reports often influence policy decisions by the western countries.
Last week, the military released the picture of the dead body of the suspected Boko Haram commander with his hands shattered, obviously by gunshots.
It was juxtaposed with the picture of the man usually seen in Boko Haram propaganda videos and who was generally addressed as Abubakar Shekau to show that it was indeed the same person.
But the original Shekau is said to have been killed by the military in 2013.
It would appear, in the picture released to the press last week, that the impostor was killed in battle or that he died from gunshot wounds.
However, in the video clip, the bearded man ─ who reportedly went by many names, including Bashir Mohammed, Isa Damasaka, Bashir Konduga and Abacha Abdullahi Geidam ─ was looking wounded, leaning against a tree with a man stooping beside him and holding a machete.
“Shekau” was wearing a blue dress that looked like guinea brocade but which had been stripped from his upper body. He also appeared to be bleeding from his torso.
A man in military camouflage stood by while voices were heard in the background, with someone saying “go and waste that man, go and waste him” ─ the slang for killing in security circles.
Cameroon had made claims that it killed Shekau and released a picture of his dead body to back its claim, but the Nigerian military quickly moved to counter the claim.
Defence spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said he was killed within the Nigerian territory by Nigerian soldiers.
TheCable also saw a video of the aftermath of the Konduga battle with many suspected militants decapitated. Some had their genitals ripped apart and placed by their bodies.
But a security analyst has told TheCable that the soldiers lost a vital link in the war against terror by killing “Shekau”.
“The man who was captured at Konduga last week was a great source of information about Boko Haram sponsors. He was captured alive,” he said.
“The military are too quick to execute captured Boko Haram leaders. This man could have revealed so much about Boko Haram and its sponsors that may have brought a quick end to the terrorism.”
The founder of the group, Mohammed Yusuf, was killed in similar circumstances after he was captured in August 2009 during the Maiduguri uprising.
He was arrested by soldiers and handed over to the police, who interrogated and summarily executed him, claiming he died in a gunfire exchange while trying to escape from detention.
Some police officers were eventually put on trial for the extra-judicial killing.
Former Borno commissioner, Buji Foi, who was a member of the sect, was also summarily executed at the back of a pick-up van during the uprising.
He was a commissioner in Ali Modu Sheriff’s cabinet before the sect fell out with the governor.
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