Nigeria’s defence minister, Mansur Dan-Ali on Tuesday admitted that Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, contrary to hitherto claims by the Nigerian government, is still alive.
The minister made the confession while speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari of his ministry’s activities.
According to him, it has been difficult to arrest or kill Shekau due to the fact that the insurgents wear masks to conceal their identities.
However, Mr Dan-Ali stated that anybody who has the opportunity of visiting Sambisa Forest would know that Boko Haram has been defeated.
He said, “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 (But Bin Laden was not hiding in America).
“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.”
On previous claims by the government that Shekau have been killed, Dan-Ali 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 incidents 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.”
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