On December 30, 2016, then Major General Lucky Irabor, who was the theatre commander of ‘Operation Lafiya Dole,’ alongside then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, handed over to late President Muhammadu Buhari what was said to be the captured flag of the Boko Haram terrorist sect then led by Abubakar Shekau. In military terms, when the flag of the enemy is captured, it is not just a symbol of total victory but also shows the leader of the enemy group had been killed. That was what Nigerians were told in that ceremony which meant the war against Boko Haram had been won.
The reported killing of Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, said to be a top ranking member of ISWAP, was like a throwback to the Abubakar Shekau saga. There were numerous claims of his death, mainly through military strikes.
Between 2009 and 2021, the Nigerian military and regional task forces announced Shekau’s death or fatal injury on several occasions. Due to his ability to resurface in propaganda videos, many of these claims were met with severe public skepticism. Following clashes with security forces in 2009 and 2013, the Nigerian military claimed Shekau was fatally wounded and had died. However, on each occasion, he re-emerged months later to mock authorities in videos. In 2014 and 2015, the Cameroonian military and the Nigerian Defence Headquarters both claimed Shekau was killed during fierce fighting in Konduga. Both claims were later dismissed as he released contradictory videos.
And in August 2016, the Nigerian Air Force claimed to have fatally wounded him in a heavy air raid in the Sambisa Forest. Again, he resurfaced to disprove the claim.
It was not until May 19, 2021 when he was said to have blown himself up with a suicide vest during an invasion of his Sambisa Forest stronghold by rival jihadists from ISWAP that his death became definitive.
After President Donald Trump gleefully announced the killing of Abu Bilal Al-Minuki in a joint strike between American and Nigerian forces, questions were raised over the 2024 claim by the military that he had been killed. The Presidency explained the earlier claim about the death of the Islamic State leader as a result of earlier mistaken identity. It was stated that previous claims from 2024 were flawed due to insurgents frequently using similar aliases and identical nicknames to evade security forces.
A common feature of the ongoing protracted war against terrorists is the resort to framing of the killing of some of insurgents as proof that the Islamist insurgents are being decimated. It explains why members of the communities earlier sacked by Boko Haram returned on the strength of such assurance only to be attacked, killed and forced to evacuate yet again to displaced persons camps.
For every accomplishment recorded by Nigeria’s brave soldiers, it seems the process of confirming claims and positive identification of elimination of major targets is flawed. For Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, it has been a long season of operating under the radar since the 2024 claim. As it is not known when Nigerian authorities determined that the 2024 “killing” was a “mistaken identity”, we do not know the level of harm Al-Minuki has wreaked while operating with full confidence that the military had presumed him dead. It is a challenge that continues to plague the war against terror. The intelligence component of the campaigns may still be less than optimum.
But while the eventual killing of Al-Minuki is being celebrated, the objective of the statement issued by Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, Director, Defence Media Operations, is not clear. According to a NAN report, Onoja stated that “There were no foreign boots on the ground during this operation (to eliminate Al-Minuki). He classified American support as limited to the provision of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support. In a situation where Donald Trump’s announcement was how the world, including Nigerians, first heard about the operation, would Trump’s large ego be undermined by Onoja’s announcement? In his characteristic use of hyperboles, he had told the world that “at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed …” the operation. As Edetaen Ojo, executive director of Media Rights Agenda wondered, “was Trump lying? What is truly scary is the fact that this individual who has been on international watchlists for a very long time was able to naturalise in Nigeria!” Will Trump feel hurt to the extent of pulling the plug on his country’s support for the war against terror in Nigeria?
Finally, I owe this headline to Eminem, a white American that broke into rap music dominated mainly by blacks. He created in 1997 a famous alter ego, Slim Shady, to deliver dark, satirical, and highly controversial lyrics. His 1998 album of the same title skyrocketed to mainstream fame. He had to ask the real Slim Shady to stand for identification. Given the controversy surrounding claims of killing of terrorist leaders, maybe we should echo Eminem and sing: Will the real Al-Minuki please stand up!
Postscript
Uzodinma’s return to Senate
On January 15, 2024, Hope Uzodinma was sworn in for his second and final term alongside his Deputy, Chinyere Ekomaru, at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri as governor of Imo State. In effect, he will serve out his second four-year term on January 14, 2028. Now, he has won the ticket to represent Imo West senatorial district under APC.
At least six months ahead of that date, the 11th Senate may have been inaugurated in the National Assembly. Will he be in Abuja for the inauguration while still holding executive office as governor of his state? Will he be shuttling between Owerri and Abuja to attended Senate sittings and be running Imo State simultaneously?
I’m not sure there is a precedent to Uzodinma’s emerging status as a federal lawmaker and governor in his state. Going by the manner APC unilaterally disqualified some incumbent lawmakers from contesting, the party would have been applauded if it had disqualified Uzodinma from contesting for the Senate that will be inaugurated at least six months before he serves our his term as governor.
Perhaps, the courts would have had something to say about it if the seeming incongruity in the quest for political power had gone to seek judicial interpretation.
