offing the head-honcho doesn’t always work
The police and military cracked down hard on the group in 2009, arresting its original leader, Mohammed Yusuf—who was later killed, supposedly during an escape attempt.
The group soon re-formed and emerged more powerful and deadly than ever, as Cronin warns (15). Decapitation alone cannot end a terrorist group.
The new target: Abubakar Shekau.
7 million dollar reward on this man–up your Waldo game, people.
He’s a charmer:
“I enjoy killing anyone that God commands me to kill – the way I enjoy killing chickens and rams,” he said in the video clip released just after Boko Haram had carried out one of its deadliest attacks, in January 2012, killing more than 180 people in Kano, northern Nigeria’s largest city. – Shekau
On April 14, 2015 an anonymous woman reported having seen Nigeria’s Chibok girls with Boko Haram militants on a street in Gwoza. While it is unlikely Shekau was among those militants spotted, the location of any militants is valuable information.
Yet, capturing him is more fruitful, as Cronin suggests, and will likely humiliate him and the group. However, if he should die or commit suicide, the next BH leader in line will take his place and the insurgents may come back stronger and fiercer, as was the case with Yusuf.
Once again, it’s important to note that decapitation is not a silver-bullet in dismantling a terrorist organization. While it may be useful in some cases, other means are more likely to end a terrorist campaign.
Sources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-18020349
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32292854