Boko Haram leader, Shekau, claims he’s alive

Barely one month after the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) declared him dead in a border town, following gunshot wounds, Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, on Wednesday spoke on Youtube, claiming to be alive.

The JTF, had, through a statement signed by its spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, on August 19, 2013 claimed the leader of the sect died early July, in neighboring Cameroonian village, where he was allegedly receiving treatment for injuries sustained during a clash with the task force.
He stated that Shekau “died of gunshot wounds received in an encounter with the JTF troops in one of their camps at Sambisa Forest on 30 June 2013,” adding: “Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide, a border community in Cameroon, for treatment, which he never recovered. It is greatly believed that Shekau might have died between 25 July to 3 August 2013.”
The disclosure came barely two days after the JTF also claimed to have killed another Boko Haram commander, Momodu Bama and his father, said to be a spiritual guardian to the sect.
In a new video purportedly posted by the Boko Haram sect and obtained in Maiduguri, Shekau insisted he was still alive, hale and healthy.
Surrounded by gun-wielding lieutenants, all dressed in military camouflage, the sect leader spoke amid laughter, throwing banters at the military. He claimed responsibility for the massacre of over 140 people at Benisheik, a community along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
He stated in the video: “The world should know that I can not 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. Don’t bother yourselves stopping me because I cannot be stopped. The war is more grievous than you think, and it will consume you.
“I swear by Allah that there will be no democracy in Nigeria. We are going to rise against it and we shall soon defeat. The concept of government of the people by the people, for the people cannot continue to exist. It shall soon, very soon, be replaced by ‘Government of Allah, by Allah for Allah.”
He said his ultimate aim was to ensure democracy gives way to Sharia in Nigeria, while claiming that his group had succeeded in taking possession of three armored tanks, military vehicles and arm cache in the last week attack.
Shekau also stated: “It was said that I was killed, but here I am; I deliberately refused to respond on time; but here I am talking and laughing at Nigerian authority, who misled the world that I am dead. I believe by now Lt. Col Sagir Musa, who issued the statement of my death should bury his head in shame. President Jonathan should bury his head in shame. President Barrack Obama should bury his head in shame. President François Hollande should bury his head in shame.
“How shameful is it for Nigerian military for a man they called inconsequential to defeat them and seize their tankers and arms. We have celebrated our victory in Monguno, Benisheik and surrounding villages, and we shall not relent untill total victory comes our way, by Allah’s will.”
The authenticity of the video cannot be verified as at press time, even as residents of Maiduguri expressed doubts about the claim.
Residents had expressed similar doubt over the claim of Shekau’s killing by the JTF.