Boko Haram Commander Reportedly Killed in Clash with Nigerian Army

The Defense Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria issued a statement on April 22, 2015 indicating that a Boko Haram commander, Abu Mujahid, had been killed during a clash with Nigerian troops. Recently, the Nigerian army has been seeking to take an offensive stance against Boko Haram and has continued to attack the terrorists. The Boko Haram jihadists have gathered in the Sambisa Forest in large numbers. The Nigerian army is responding to this move by leading troops into the forest to start attacking known terrorist camps. Recent reports have indicated that the Boko Haram is re-branding, identifying themselves as “Islamic State of West Africa Province” following the group’s formal joining of the Islamic State in March.

The troops were attacked by Boko Haram fighters, and in the fighting that followed, the troops killed a number of Boko Haram fighters, including Abu Mujahid. A defense spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, reported that their troops are strong and have made impressive attacks on Boko Haram leaving them weakened and with few resources. It was even reported that the Boko Haram insurgents are now poorly armed, using knives, bows and arrows to murder villagers.

While Olukolade’s reports appear to indicate that Boko Haram has been severely weakened, conflicting reports would suggest otherwise. A soldier currently fighting for the Nigerian Army revealed that the troops have had to retreat due to booby traps set up by Boko Haram. These IED traps have already killed 3 soldiers who drove over a landmine.

Olukolade also indicated that the military has captured rocket-propelled grenades and vehicle-mounted anti-aircraft guns during their clash. This suggests that Boko Haram remains in possession of larger weaponry.

Nigeria and other nations should be cautious in preemptively celebrating the defeat of Boko Haram. As other terror groups such as al-Shabaab have demonstrated with brutal efficiency, a lack of territory is not a deterrent in conducting effective terror attacks. As we’ve seen in Somalia, we can expect that Boko Haram to utilize attacks to disrupt the coalition’s military progress, hamper morale, and put the military back on the defensive.

While they may have lost some ground, Boko Haram’s strength may not have declined to the degree that the media reports and Major General Olukolade have indicated.