Abubakar Shekau

Abubakar Shekau, also known by the alias Darul Tawheed, is an Islamist leader of the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram. He served as deputy leader to the group's founder, Mohammed Yusuf, until Yusuf was killed in 2009. Nigerian authorities believed that Shekau was killed in 2009 during clashes between security forces and Boko Haram militants until July 2010 when he appeared in a video claiming leadership of the group. In the video, Shekau indicated that he had been shot in the thigh but survived the fighting.

Profile
In videos he posts online he often boasts about his invincibility, mocks various armies and states that he "cannot be stopped" and "cannot die ecept by the will of Allah". He has also boasted about being in possession of armoured tankers and other combat vehicles. He frequently speaks about the Quran in his online videos.

In June 2012 the U.S. State Department designated Shekau as a terrorist and in effect froze any of his assets in America.

The United States Department of State offered a $7 million reward and the Nigeria government offered a N50 million reward for his capture, making him the most wanted man in Nigeria and Islamist in Africa.

On 20 August 2013, NOS (Dutch Broadcasting Foundation) announced that Shekau had died recently. Allegedly, Shekau was wounded a few weeks earlier and transported to Cameroon, where he died.

The Joint Task Force in Borno state, Nigeria also speculated in a statement on August 19 that Shekau could have been dead as a result of multiple gunshot wounds sustained during an encounter between military groups and the terrorists in one of their camps at a Sambisa forest around June 30.

However, claims of his death are still being puzzled especially after a video was being released by the Boko Haram Sect with him present in it claiming responsibility for recent attacks in the country. Although the authenticity of the video is yet to be confirmed by the Nigerian security services, it is highly doubted that he is dead.

Personal life
Shekau was born in the Republic of Niger, earlier reported being born in Shekau village in Yobe State. It is unclear how old he is with speculation suggesting he is 34 or 35; some have said he is 43 years old.

According to a journalist with high access to Boko Haram, Shekau has a photographic memory and is well-versed in theology, having studied it. His nickname is “Darul Tawheed”, which translates as a specialist in Tawheed, the Islamic concept of oneness with Allah. He is fluent in his native Kanuri language, as well as Hausa and Arabic languages.