I am alive, says Shekau in new video

Boko Haram leader Imam Abubakar Shekau
said yesterday that he is alive, contrary to the
claim of the Joint Task Force(JTF).
He said he would die at the appointed time.
Shekau, in a new video, said the sect was
responsible for last Tuesday’s killing of about
161 travellers in serial attacks in Benisheik,
Borno State.
According to a post on an online site,
“Information Nigeria”, Shekau appeared in a
latest video, where he was quoted as saying:
“Here I am, alive, hale and hearty.”
The site claimed that Shekau appeared in
military camouflage, seated and surrounded by
hooded insurgents.
He faulted the purported claim of the JTF
spokesman, Sagir Musa, on August 19 that he
had been killed during an encounter in
Sambisa Forest.
But the video was not seen by our
correspondent.
Shekau said: “ 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.
“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.”
The site quoted Shekau as claiming victory over
the Nigerian military.
Shekau added: “Nigerian soldiers are late. After
killing many of them in Monguno and
Benisheik, we have snatched their armoured
carriers and Hilux van and then hoisted Islamic
flags on them. We now move freely with
them.”
The JTF had on August 19 declared that Shekau
might have died during a shoot-out with
troops in Sambisa Forest.
Although the JTF claimed that Shekau was
allegedly killed on June 30, the military high
command, especially the Defence
Headquarters, felt the conclusion was hasty.
The then spokesman of the JTF in Borno State,
Lt. Col. Musa, said: “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.”