Die Hard - Dead Boko Haram Leader shekau is alive

Leader of the most dreaded and wanted Boko Haram Terrorists, Abubakar Shekau, today, Wednesday, said the Nigerian Military should bury itself in shame because he is alive.

Shekau also claimed responsibility of Tuesday, 17th September, 2013 attacks in Benisheik, Borno State where over 160 people were either shot dead or slaughtered and hundreds of houses burnt.

The then Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman in Borno State, Lt Col Sagir Musa, had issued a statement on 19th August, 2013 to the effect that "Intelligence report available to the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Restore Order revealed that Abubakar Shekau, the most dreaded and wanted terrorists leader may have died.

He died of gunshots wounds received in an encounter with the JTF in one of their camps in Sambisa Forest on 30th June, 2013.

"Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide-a border community in Cameroon for treatment from which he never recovered," the JTF statement said.

But in the latest video, Shekau who appeared in military camouflage uniform, seated and surrounded by hooded insurgents said "Here I am, alive, hale and hearty.

Sagir Musa should bury himself in shame, President Jonathan (of Nigeria) should bury himself in shame, President Obama (of United States of America) should bury himself in shame, and President Francois Hollande (of France) should bury himself in shame, Queen Elizabeth (of England) should bury herself in shame," he said.

According to Shekau, "They said I am dead, but here I am. 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.

"The concept of Government of the people by the people for the people will never be possible and will never exist. Democracy shall be replaced only by the government of Allah, from Allah and for Allah," he said.

-naij.com

Nigeria’s army on Thursday said it was trying to verify the authenticity of a video that appeared to show Boko Haram’s leader mocking reports that he may have been killed.

A security task force last month said wanted Islamist insurgent commander Abu Bakr Shekau “may have died” from a gunshot wound after a clash with soldiers on June 30.

In a video seen by AFP Wednesday, a man resembling past images of Shekau taunted the regional military spokesman who suggested he had been killed.

“We cannot say at this juncture whether the claim is true or false until we authenticate the veracity of the video,” army spokesman Ibrahim Attahiru told AFP.

“The army authorities have to verify the claim. This is precisely what we are doing,” he said.

The initial statement concerning Shekau’s possible death came from a military spokesman based in the northeast, Boko Haram’s stronghold.

National defence spokesman Chris Olukolade has told AFP that statement may have been issued prematurely and that the military lacked definitive proof of Shekau’s death.

Shekau has been declared a global terrorist by the United States, which put a $7 million bounty (Dh25.7 billion) on his head.

He leads an Islamist group which has been blamed for scores of deadly attacks across northern and central Nigeria.