The factional leader of the Boko Haram sect loyal to Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), Mamman Nur has reportedly been killed by his fighters following a rebellion against him.

Nur, who is widely seen as the brain behind the ties between Boko Haram and the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi-led Islamic State was reportedly killed by his closest lieutenants on August 21.

Nur had in 2014, led the rebellion against Abubakar Shekau, the erstwhile overall leader of the group, leading to the emergence of the Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawy faction of the Islamist sect.

The breakaway faction which moved its terrorist operations to the shores of the Lake Chad region in Northern Borno State was later recognized by Al-Baghdadi.

“Mamman Nur, who was killed on August 21, is the actual leader of the Boko Haram faction after they parted ways with Shekau. He only put Habib in the front as shadow leader because of his father,” a source close to the sect said.

“The name Al-Barnawy is only being heard as symbolic leader; he was meant to lead so that followers would remain committed to the cause championed by his late father but he (Nur) is the major link of the faction with the Islamic State; the chief strategist around Lake Chad, including their cells in Nigeria, Niger and Chad,” the source added.

Another source said Nur was killed after a long period of disagreement with his subordinates whom he said, established relative authority and contacts as the years went by.

“The commanders became disenchanted with Nur’s style of leadership. They saw him as not as rough as Shekau. They followed him in staging the revolt because the argument back in 2014 was that Shekau was a hardliner who killed almost everyone, both Muslims and Christians who disagreed with his extremist brand of Islam.

“But according to some of the fighters, after establishing his base in Lake Chad, Mamman Nur deviated from the real course and compromised on so many occasions,” he said.

He further revealed that a major disagreement broke out after the release of 100 girls abducted in a secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State in March.

“The negotiation of the release of the girls did not go down well with some close associates of Mamman Nur who released the girls unconditionally, following a directive by Al-Baghdadi,” the source continued.

“Nothing was paid before the girls were released and besides, Mamman Nur’s soft approach and close contact with governments at different levels angered his foot soldiers who rebelled against him and thereafter executed him.

“The man in charge of all the cells in the Lake Chad region is the former commander of the fighters who was directly under the control of late Mamman Nur.

“The truth is that Mamman Nur had lost control long before he was killed; the factional group was taken over by hardliners who share a lot in common with the Shekau faction whose landmarks include kidnapping, assault, abductions for ransom and other atrocities.

“They want ransom to continue financing their activities. I think their demands for high ransom is what is delaying the release of many abductees, including the female health workers that were captured in Rann in Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Nigerian military, which is however yet to confirm Mamman Nur’s death had in September 2011, placed a ₦25 million bounty on him for being a close ally of Mohamed Yusuf who was accused of masterminding the bombing of the United Natios building in Abuja.

However on January 6 this year, the Nigerian military announced that Nur’s wife was among those reportedly killed when troops attacked the group’s location in the Lake Chad region.