Nigerian military confirms Al-Barnawi’s death… it is as simple as that

The Nigerian military on Thursday confirmed the death of the leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abu Musab al-Barnawi.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Lucky Irabor, confirmed the jihadists’ commander’s death to journalists in Abuja.

However, he was silent on how the ISWAP leader died.

Irabor said: “I can authoritatively confirm to you that al-Barnawi is dead. It is as simple as that. He is dead and remained dead.”

But ISWAP has not confirmed the death of al-Barnawi, who was the son of the late founder of the Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Yusuf.

Since ISWAP split from Boko Haram in 2016, the group has become a dominant force in Nigeria’s jihad war that had killed tens of thousands since 2009.