Boko Haram: Shekau’s Deputy Arrested in Kogi.

Military sources on Saturday confirmed the
arrest of the leader of the Ansaru Islamic Sect,
Khalid Albarnawi, who was described as the
second in command to Abubakar Shekau in the
hierarchy of the Boko Haram terrorists group.

A report by an online portal, The Cable, had
quoted Ahmad Salkida, a journalist, known for
his access to some of the leaders of the Boko
Haram as having said that Albarnawi was
arrested by operatives of the Department of
State Services (DSS) in Lokoja, Kogi State and
moved to Abuja on Friday.

The Ansaru leader, Albarnawi, who reportedly
trained in the North African country of Algeria, is
believed to highly be influential in the nation’s
terror network.

He is regarded as the most influential member of
Nigeria’s terror network with contacts to other
Jihadi groups in North Africa and the Middle
East. Salkida said Albarnawi is believed to have
reconciled with the leader of Islamic State in
West Africa (ISWAP), also known as Boko
Haram.

Ansaru was formed as a splinter group of the
Boko Haram in January 26, 2012 and it claimed
responsibility for the November 2012 attack on
the Special Anti Robbery Squad Headquarters,
Abuja.

-This Day