The leader of the outlawed Boko Haram sect, Abubakur Shekau, who was claimed to have died somewhere in Cameroon from gunshot wounds inflicted on him by the Nigerian military has resurfaced Wednesday in a recorded video message threatening to continue his killing spree until democracy is crushed in Nigeria.
Shekau boasted that he remains invincible and mocked world leaders including President Barack Obama (United States), President Francois Hollande (France) and Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.
Shekau, who was surrounded in the video mailed to some journalists by dozens of his lieutenants all dressed in military camouflage, spoke amidst laughter and sarcasm as he accepted responsibility for recent attacks in Borno state.
“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,” he said.
Until he was declared dead, Shekau was the most wanted Nigerian in history with a ransom of N50 million from Nigerian government and $7 million from the American government.
He declared that his ultimate aim is to ensure that democracy is dethroned in Nigeria.
His message was delivered in Hausa but translated to mean: “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”.
Shekau said further: “I swear by Allah that there will be no democracy in Nigeria. We are going to rise against it and we shall soon defeat it, 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”
“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.”
He further mocked: “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, Benisheikh and surrounding villages, and we shall not relent untill total victory comes our way, by Allah’s will’.
It would be recalled that the now disbanded JTF in Borno state had on August 19, 2013 issued a statement through its spokesman, Lt Col Musa, who is now spokesman of the Army 7 Division that Shekau may have been mortally injured in a military shootout on June 30, 2013.