Joint Task Force Declares Boko Haram Top Guns Wanted; N50m Bounty For Abubakar Shekau

The Joint Task Force Operation (JTF) in Maiduguri has placed a bounty of N50 million on the head of Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, one of 19 leaders and commanders of the militant group it declared wanted today.
In a statement, JTF said, “They are wanted in connection with terrorist activities particularly in the North East Zone of Nigeria that led to the killings, bombings and assassination of some civilians, religious leaders, traditional rulers, businessmen, politicians, civil servants and security personnel amongst others.”
It also said the men were wanted for arson and destruction of properties worth of millions of Naira.
Four of the men, described as “Shurra Committee,” have a reward of N25 million each for information
leading to their arrest.  They are: Habibu Yusuf (aka Asalafi); Khalid Albarnawai; Momodu Bama; and Mohammed Zangina.
The 14 other men, described as “Boko Haram Commanders,” have a bounty of N10m each placed on their heads.
There has lately been a deep division in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan about Boko Haram.  While his spokesman, Reuben Abati, had said consistently that the government was using “back room channels” to negotiate with the militants, President Jonathan himself said in his Media Chat last week that no negotiations of any sort are going on.
Today’s press statement by the JTF indicates a new government hard line, perhaps stemming from efforts to generate negotiations which may see renewed militant attacks on soft targets in the country.  Recently, the group asked the leader of the Congress for Political Change, General Muhammadu Buhari, to mediate talks with the government, but Buhari turned down the offer.