Liman Ibrahim

Imam Liman Ibrahim is a figure reported to have served as a spiritual leader within a faction of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram. He became publicly known in 2013 after making statements concerning an internal leadership dispute within the organisation.

Reported role

In August 2013, Ibrahim was identified by several media reports as the spiritual leader of a Boko Haram faction that claimed to be engaged in dialogue with the Nigerian government. According to those reports, the faction announced a ceasefire and nominated representatives for proposed peace negotiations.

Leadership dispute

Ibrahim attracted international attention after stating that Abubakar Shekau had been removed as Boko Haram's leader because of his increasingly violent methods. He claimed that Shekau had been replaced by Abu Zamira Mohammed, who would lead negotiations with the Nigerian government.

The claims were widely reported but were never independently verified. In subsequent years, Shekau continued to appear in videos claiming leadership of Boko Haram, and analysts generally regarded the 2013 succession announcement as part of internal factional disputes within the organisation.