Many years after her son took to terrorism, Shekau’s mother finally speaks out

Falmata Abubakar (Shekau's mother)

Falmata Abubakar, the mother of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has reportedly spoken for the first time since her son became terrorist,
leading ferocious attacks on communities and towns in the north-eastern part of Nigeria.

Falmata spoke with Hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA) in the village of Shekau, Yobe state

VOA, said Shekau’s late father was the Imam of the village mosque before his death while Falmata said she had no idea where her son was or his situation.

“I don’t know whether he is dead or alive, only God knows, I have not seen him in the last 15 years,” she reportedly said adding that Shekau left the village for Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state as a young boy in search of Islamic knowledge.

She added that the leader of the Boko Haram sect was an ‘almajiri boy’ who walks around the streets of Maiduguri looking for food. According to her, it was in the course of seeking Islamic knowledge that Shekau came into contact with the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, who indoctrinated her son.

“I did not set my eyes on him since he came into contact with Mohammed Yusuf. “I know he is my son, and everyone knows a mother’s love for her son, but our attitude to life is different.

“He has put so many people in serious difficulty, I pray that God guides him right,” she said adding that she will not curse his son. “He has chosen a path different from the one we put him on, only God knows what he has become now,” she said.