Niger armed forces kill Boko Haram leader ”Bakoura”
The Nigerien army has announced the death of Ibrahim Mahamadou, known as ‘Bakoura,’ a long-time leader of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. According to an army source, the killing took place on August 15 after targeted airstrikes on Shilawa Island in Southeastern Niger.
“An air force fighter aircraft launched three precise and successive strikes on Bakoura’s positions in Shilawa,” the source told AFP.
‘Bakoura’ had led Boko Haram since 2021, following the death of former leader Aboubacar Shekau. Originally from Nigeria, Mahamadou joined the group 13 years ago and was in his forties when killed near the Lake Chad Basin — a volatile region bordering Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon. However, the claim has yet to be independently verified.
Boko Haram has intensified attacks across West Africa this year, targeting military bases, sabotaging infrastructure, and attacking civilians. Just recently, the group killed four security personnel in the Borno region of Nigeria, which borders Niger.
In response, regional governments have vowed to ramp up efforts against Islamist terrorism. This month, the Chadian army announced the arrest of Muslim Mohammed Yusuf, son of Boko Haram’s founder, while Nigerian authorities revealed the detention of leaders from related terrorist groups Ansaru and Mahmuda.
These arrests are linked to major attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break and a 2013 assault on a uranium facility in Niger — underscoring the ongoing fight against extremism in the region.
