At various times the Nigerian government has claimed his capture or death, but this has been denied by Boko Haram.
[1][2] A man claiming to be Abu Qaqa was detained by the Nigerian government in late January or early February 2012, but confirming his real identity proved to be a challenge since Abu Qaqa is an assumed name.
[5][4][6][7] Notably, speaking by phone to reporters in November 2012, one of the new Abu Qaqas said "We are together with al Qaeda, they are promoting the cause of Islam, just as we are doing.
A Manchester Twitter user using the handle Abu Qaqa voiced his approval of ISIL beheadings in Syria in 2014.
[9] Several blogs use the Abu Qaqa name to promote Islamic extremist views.