Nationa Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno has confirmed that troops have killed Malam Bako, the new leader of Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) who is said to have succeeded Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, the late leader and son of Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf.

Addressing journalists at the State House correspondents on Thursday October 21, Monguno said Bako was killed on Tuesday October 19 by the military. He hailed the armed forces for recent successful operations.

The NSA said; 

“The fact again is that the armed forces — the land forces — have done an excellent job, because in the span of one month we have been able to take out the leadership of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) – that is Abu Musab Al-Barnawi.

“Two days ago, the man who succeeded him, one Malam Bako, one of the prominent leaders of the Shura Council of the Islamic State of West African Province, was also taken out.

“They are also contending with leadership crisis. You know these things are also accompanied with inherent issues of trust, conflicts, mutual suspicion and other things.

“So, the operations being conducted by the armed forces in the northern parts of the country put a lot of pressure on the Islamic State in West Africa Province, Boko Haram and also the tangential group known as Islamic State in the Greatest Sahara.”