The leader of the outlawed Boko Haram sect, Abubakur Shekau, whom the Joint Task Force (JTF) had claimed was mortally injured in a shootout last month and had died somewhere in Cameroun, Wednesday resurfaced in a recorded video message, threatening to continue his killing spree until democracy is crushed in Nigeria.
Shekau even boasted that he remained invincible and mocked world leaders including President Goodluck Jonathan, President Barack Obama of the United States, President Francois Hollande of France and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
Reacting to the news of his appearance on a video, the Nigerian Army yesterday refused to confirm or dismiss the recording, saying they were yet to verify its authenticity.
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The JTF, last month, had claimed that Shekau had been mortally wounded in a shootout with security forces and had died some days later in Cameroun, as a result of the injuries he sustained.
But JTF’s statement had caused consternation at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, with sources informing news men at the time that the JTF did not have their authorisation to make a statement on Shekau’s death.
DHQ sources had also expressed doubts about the veracity of the statement by JTF.
They further blamed the JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, for trying to ensure that the task force took the credit for Shekau’s death before a new army division that had been deployed in Northeastern Nigeria took over from the JTF.
They further blamed the JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, for trying to ensure that the task force took the credit for Shekau’s death before a new army division that had been deployed in Northeastern Nigeria took over from the JTF.
Shekau, who was surrounded in the video mailed yesterday to some journalists by dozens of his lieutenants all dressed in military camouflage, spoke amidst laughter and sarcasm as he accepted responsibility for recent attacks in Borno State.
Shekau, who until he was declared dead was the most wanted Nigerian in history, with a ransom of N50 million from the Nigerian government and $7 million from the American government, seemed to have recorded the video in a bush as birds were heard chirping in the background.
He declared that his ultimate aim was to ensure democracy ceased to exist in Nigeria.
He also mocked the Nigerian army, whom he claimed his group had succeeded in taking three of their armoured tanks, a large cache of arms and fleets of the military vehicles and troops.
He also mocked the Nigerian army, whom he claimed his group had succeeded in taking three of their armoured tanks, a large cache of arms and fleets of the military vehicles and troops.
Shekau, who spoke in Hausa, said: “The world should know that I cannot die except by the will of Allah. I have told you that all that I do is prescribed by the Quran. The essence of it is to carry out the injunctions.
“The world should know that I am alive and will only die at the appointed time. Everybody should be judged according to the dictates of his conscience.
“What I am doing is written in the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith and I will not stop. I challenge all the clerics of the world to question my deeds. Those underrating my capacity should have a re-think. I will never allow democracy to thrive.
“Don’t bother yourselves stopping me because I cannot be stopped. The war is more grievous than you think, and it will consume you.
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