The leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province, (ISWAP), jihadist group, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, is dead, Nigerias top military commander said on Thursday, according to the AFP.
ISWAP has not given any confirmation of al-Barnawis death and Nigerias army has claimed before to have killed jihadist commanders only for them to reappear.
I can authoritatively confirm to you that al-Barnawi is dead. As simple as that. He is dead and remains dead, Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor told reporters.
He did not give details on how or when al-Barnawi had died.
Under al-Barnawi, ISWAP became the dominant jihadist force in Nigerias conflict, striking frequently at troops in an insurgency that has killed more than 40,000 since it began in 2009.
Al-Barnawis loss would be a blow to ISWAPs structure just as it was consolidating since the death of rival Boko Haram commander Abubakar Shekau earlier this year during infighting between the factions.
