Nigeria - unrest

Nigerian sect leader shot dead

Article published on the 2009-07-31 Latest update 2009-07-31 17:57 TU

Alleged members of Boko Haram sit after their arrest in Kano in northern Nigeria by police on 27 July 2009
(Photo: Reuters/Afolabi Sotunde)

The spiritual leader of the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, was shot dead on Thursday while trying to escape following his arrest, according to the police. This comes after five days of bloody clashes in the north of the country between security forces and radical Islamists, in which more than 600 people were killed. Fighting has reportedly ended in the city of Maiduguri.

Yusuf’s Boko Haram was opposed to western education and had attacked churches, police stations, prisons and government buildings over the past week.

Images of Yusuf's bullet-ridden body, which was in the police headquarters of Maiduguri, were shown to the press.

"The naked body of the leader of the Boko Haram sect was lying outside the police headquarters along with two members of his group that were killed earlier in the day in gun battle," said Maiduguri correspondent Aminu Abubaker.

"Residents of Madiguri ... slept well for the first time in four days without the crackling sounds of machine guns which have rocked the city since Sunday night."

The sect had previously said it intended to lead an armed insurrection and rid society of “immorality”.

Mohammed Yusuf had been arrested along with a number of his followers last November and awaited prosecution. However, he was granted bail at Abuja High Court in January.