A clash between terrorist group, Boko Haram, and rival, Islamic State-allied jihadists known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has left Abubakar Shekau in a critical condition after he allegedly sustained a life-threatening injury.

Although the level of injury is yet to be confirmed, two intelligence sources disclosed on Thursday that Shekau shot himself in the chest to avoid getting captured after its rival decimated his foot soldiers in a renewed battle in North East.

Over the years, ISWAP militants have become the dominant force in the decade-long jihadist insurgency.
“To avoid capture, Shekau shot himself in the chest and the bullet pierced his shoulder,” the source said, adding that: “He was badly injured.”

PUNCH reported that some of his men managed to escape with him to an unknown destination, the source added.
However, another source claimed that Shekau’s injury was sustained after detonating explosives in the house where he was holed up with his men.

While the Nigerian military is yet to comment on the issue, WUZUPNIGERIA recalled how Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had boasted that “the nation’s military have superior firepower over the rag tag band of Boko Haram and ISWAP.”

Speaking last week, Mohammed bragged that the government “is definitely not overwhelmed and indeed it has the wherewithal, as you will see in the days ahead, to confront the challenges headlong and restore law and order, peace and security.”

Meanwhile, conflicts in northeast Nigeria has led to the death of over 40,000 people while over two million have been displaced from their homes.

The fighting has spread to parts of neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger as Boko Haram and ISWAP battle to gain control, with the latter emerging as the stronger force, carrying out complex attacks on the military and overrunning army bases.