Chidi Samuel || Nigeria’s Minister of defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Tuesday, confirmed that the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau is alive and well.
The Minister who also said that the Boko Haram factional leader is hiding somewhere within the confines of Sambisa forest in Bornu state made the disclosure to newsmen shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso villa.
Mansur however, expressed the belief that the Boko Haram fugitive leader will be caught “as soon as possible”.
According to him, “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,” Mansur assured.
It will be recalled that the Nigerian Military has on more than two occasions claimed that they have killed the bloodthirsty Boko Haram leader, claims that later came back to haunt them.