US State Department offers $7m reward for information leading to Shekau’s capture

WASHINGTON has placed a $7m bounty on the leader of Nigerian terrorist sect Boko Haram Sheikh Abubakar Shekau offering to pay the sum to anyone who offers information that leads to his capture and arrest.

In what is the biggest bounty the country has ever placed on a wanted person, the United States Department of State made the offer on the French version of the official Twitter account of the US State Department Rewards for Justice Program. In the statement, the US State Department said: “Every government and every citizen has a stake in bringing terrorists to justice and in preventing acts of terrorism.”

It was not clear why the Department of State chose to declare Shekau wanted in the French version of its Twitter accounts. In the English version of the Twitter account, which was opened 27 February, the Reward for Justice Program also offered $5m reward for information on three Isis leaders and another $6m on the leaders of another terror group Aqap.

The State Department tweet read: “Up to $5m for information on Isis key leaders Hajji Abdallah, Hajji Hamid and Hajji Taysir. Justice never sleeps and never stops looking for Isis terrorists, so if you have information Isis, please submit a tip. 100% confidential.”