Security Expert Bukarti Hits Back At Backlash Over Sheikh Masussuka Killing Audio Claim

UK-based Nigerian security expert and lawyer, Dr. Bulama Audu Bukarti, has responded to the backlash that followed his publication of Ansaru’s claim of responsibility for the killing of Katsina Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahaya Masussuka.

Bukarti, in a detailed video addressn posted on his Facebook page, said he wanted to clarify issues that arose after an audio message he spoke about and published on his page, in which the Ansaru group claimed responsibility for the assassination of Sheikh Masussuka.

He said since Tuesday, the audio had generated different reactions and important questions from the public.

According to him, three major questions dominated the reactions.

“First, where did I get this audio? Second, some are saying I did it to defend Izala because I am an Izala member, that I published the audio as part of a planned agenda. Third, others are even saying I am the spokesperson for Ansaru, that is why I brought out this audio,” Bukarti said.

Responding to the first question on the source of the audio, Bukarti said he was not the first to see or publish it, and was not even the second person to do so.

“I was not the first to see this message, nor was I the first to publish it. I was neither the first nor the second person. The message had been published for over two hours before I published it,” he said.

“It was published for more than two hours on Twitter before I found it myself, listened to it, and published it,” he added.

Bukarti said the first person he saw publish the message did so at 12:42 a.m., identifying him as Vincent Foucher, an expert on Boko Haram whom he has known for over five years.

“When I saw he posted it, I messaged him on Twitter via DM and asked, ‘I saw your post, for God’s sake can you send me the message?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I can send it to you, but I am not at home right now, God willing when I return I will send it to you’,” Bukarti said.

He described Foucher as a non-Nigerian, believed to be French, who has interviewed over 200 former Boko Haram members and written extensively on how to dismantle the group.

Bukarti said two minutes after Foucher’s post, at 12:44 a.m., another Boko Haram expert, Malik Samuel, also published the same message, stating that Ansaru claimed responsibility for the killing of the cleric.

He urged members of the public to verify the posts on X, formerly Twitter, noting that the tweets were still available as at the time of his address.

On allegations that he published the audio to defend the Izala sect or because of sectarian bias, Bukarti dismissed the claims, saying his work is strictly based on open-source intelligence and aimed at educating the public and raising security awareness.

On the claim that he is a spokesperson for Ansaru, Bukarti strongly denied any affiliation with the terrorist group.

He stressed that his career as a lawyer and security analyst based in the United Kingdom is dedicated to research, security analysis, and tracking of terrorist groups to help security agencies and the public understand threats.

He explained that sharing such public claims by extremist groups like Ansaru, which is an al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, is part of standard practice among security researchers to provide critical insights for counter-terrorism.

Bukarti concluded by condemning terrorism and extremism in all forms, warning against misinformation, and reaffirming his commitment to objective research and truth.