Boko Haram: Shekau’s mother speaks on son, family, terrorism

The mother of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has said she has not seen her son for 15 years.

Falmatu Shekau said this in an interview she granted the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, on Thursday.

According to her, Shekau’s late father was a local Koranic school teacher and that her son spent his early years roaming the streets of Maiduguri as an almajiri.

Abubakar became radicalised after he met the founder of the Boko Haram sect, the late Mohammed Yusuf, and has not come home since then.

“Since Shekau met Mohammed Yusuf, I never saw him again,” Falmatu said.

” I know he is my son and everyone knows the love a mother has for her son but our characters differ. He has put a lot of people into very difficult situations.

“I wish I could see him to talk some sense into him. He has thrown a lot of people into panic but I am praying to Allah to set him on the right path.”

Shekau has been declared dead, wounded, alive many times pver the years.

But his periodcal videos still show a face much like his.