Standup9ja: Shekau Still Alive, Could Be Hiding In Sambisa
Forest – Defence Minister
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has raised the
alarm that Boko Haram elusive kingpin, Abubakar Shekau, is still alive and
could be hiding in Sambisa forest – a stronghold of the sect in Borno state.
In a chat with state house correspondents after meeting with
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, Dan-Ali said Shekau had been disguising
with masks to evade arrest.
He, however, emphasised that the military had overpowered
the sect, and expressed the belief that its leader will be arrested “as soon as
possible”.
He said: “The
spiritual headquarters has been ransacked and vandalised, and 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. We shall be
patrolling and be ransacking that forest for the whereabouts of Shekau.
“If you have been
opportune to go to Sambisa forest, you will know we have dominated the whole
stronghold of the sect, their spiritual
headquarters has been destroyed, and is now occupied being by our armed forces.
“I believe it’s
just a matter of time, it took America about seven to 10 years to get Bin
Laden, so we will get Shekau as soon as possible.”
Responding to claims by the military that Shekau had been
killed, he said:
“Let me tell you
categorically, these insurgents have a way of disguising with masks. It’s
possible that there are many (Shekaus), but we are looking for the real one.
“He has been using
mask to give the impression that he has been killed, so that we can relax, but
we will not relax until we get him.”
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