Islamic State expels Boko Haram factional leader Al-barnawi

By : Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri with agency report

Date: 6 March 2019 5:16am WAT

Boko Haram splinter group Ansaru, Khalid al-Barnawi

Leader of Boko Haram splinter group Ansaru, Muhammad Usman aka Khalid al-Barnawi arrives at the Abuja’s court, in Abuja, on April 11, 2017.
Al-Barnawi appears in court over the abduction and murder of 10 foreigners between 2011 and 2013. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGER

The Islamic State (IS) has expelled Abu Mus’ab Al-barnawi as leader of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), an ally of the Boko Haram sect.

The Cable quoted Ahmed Salkida, as saying on his Twitter handle yesterday in Maiduguri, Borno State.

He announced Abu Abdullah Ibn Al-barnawi as his replacement citing no reason for the disengagement of the eldest son of the sect’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf.

Yusuf was killed in August 2009 in Maiduguri.

“The new Wali (leader), according to an 18:13 audio recording, is Abu Abdullah Ibn Umar Al-barnawi. No reason was given for the expulsion of Abu Musab (Habib),” Salkida asserted.

Prior to yesterday’s ouster, Al-barnawi was Boko Haram spokesman before the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The sect joined IS mid-2015. It however split from the group in 2016 following a leadership tussle.
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