Shekau had 83 concubines, told fighters virgins awaited them in paradise if they died during terror attacks - Ex-commanders

Some Boko Haram members who surrendered their arms to the government have revealed that the late leader of the terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau, had 83 concubines before he was killed in a clash with a rival group.

Shekau was reportedly killed by members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) during a supremacy battle in Sambisa forest in Borno State in May 2021.

On Saturday, the Special Adviser to Borno State Governor on Security, Brig Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq (rtd), told journalists that some of Shekau's associates who surrendered and embraced peace told him about the 83 concubines Shekau left behind.

“We started this non-kinetic approach 16 months ago. The model started shortly after the death of Abubakar Shekau and the state government didn’t want Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) to continue using Shekau’s fighters; we know it would be deadly.

“So, the first of fighter that I received in Bama told me that Shekau had 83 concubines, just imagine he left behind 83 concubines.

“They said he is now in hell because he committed suicide during his clash with other faction. He always told them to go out and fight, if they die in the process several virgins are waiting for them,” Daily Trust quoted him as saying.

Ishaq added that many of the surrendered fighters regretted their actions, saying Shekau misled them, adding that many of the fighters did not know how to perform ablution.

He said, “Let me say this, many of his commanders were bitter after he committed suicide because that act contradict what he preached. I can tell you that many of these fighters don’t know how to perform simple ablution not to talk of how to do prayers. We had to start teaching them after we brought them to Maiduguri.”