Shekau alive and running, Defence Minister claims

Nigerian Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Tuesday confirmed that Abubakar Shekau, leader of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, is still alive and on the run.

Dan-Ali’s confirmation came amidst several claims in the past by Nigerian Army of the death of the leader of Boko Haram, one of the most dangerous terrorist organisations in the world.

Dan-Ali made this disclosure when he spoke with State House correspondents in Abuja soon after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari of his ministry’s activities at the Presidential Villa.

While assuring that Shekau will be apprehended in a matter of time, Dan-Ali added that a visit to Sambisa Forest would convince anyone to believe that the dreaded insurgent group has been defeated.

“I believe it is just a matter of time. It took America about seven to ten years to get Bin Laden. So, we will get Shekau as soon as possible. The sect’s spiritual headquarters has been ransacked and vandalised.

“He (Shekau) is on the run. He may be hiding in one of the enclaves of Sambisa Forest which we are dominating. We have opened up the place. We are using the place as a training area. The Army engineers will open up roads and we shall be patrolling and be ransacking that forest for the whereabouts of Shekau.”

Reacting on questions bordering on several occasions the death of Shekau has been announced by the army, he said, “These insurgents have a way of putting on mask. There could be so many but we are looking for the real one.

“They have been using mask to portray Shekau in one incident or the other to give an impression that he has been killed so that we will relax. But we will not relax, we are on him.”

Hinting on why he visited the President, he said he came to brief him about the security situation across the country.

He added that the President was impressed with the performance of the armed forces.

According to Dan-Ali, while it would be difficult to achieve 100 per cent in security, the government is working hard to ensure that there is peace in all parts of the country.

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