New leadership: Boko Haram only seeking attention, says  DHQ

The defence headquarters (DHQ) says the announcement of a new Boko Haram leader is irrelevant and inconsequential to the military’s operation in the north-east.

Rabe Abubakar, director of defence information, told NAN in Abuja on Wednesday that the military remains focused on its operation in the north-east.

He said the announcement of a new leader for the group was only aimed at seeking attention and relevance.

“As far as we are concerned, what Boko Haram or their cohorts are doing is of no relevance to our operations against them,” he said.

“We are just focused on clearing the remnants of the insurgents that are scattered around.

“What they are doing is to seek relevance and to tell the world that they are still around whereas they have been decimated.

“Their latest move is the antics of a fading group and I believe that in the shortest time they will be history.’’

The BBC had reported that ISIS announced Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the new leader of Boko Haram after Abubakar Shekau’s exit.

Al-Barnawi was the spokesman of the group under Shekau. The whereabouts of the former leader has been unknown since 2015.

Boko Haram pledged its allegiance to ISIS last year.