Boko Haram leader Shekau contradicts 'injury' reports in new video

Abubakar Shekau, factional leader of insurgent group Boko Haram has in a new video contradicted reports earlier this week that he had been injured in an airstrike by the Nigerian army.

A prominent Boko Haram reporter in Nigeria, Ahmad Salkida, on Thursday evening posted a 14-minute video on Twitter.

The video showed Shekau flanked by two hooded fighters whiles he delivered his sermon in Arabic and Hausa. He had the traditional black flag that represents the group. The video was titled in Arabic, ‘‘Sermon to the lying disbelievers of Nigeria.’‘

Link to Abubakar Shekau’s video, dismissing claims that he was hurt, which I tweeted the highlights earlier – https://t.co/YLJSOhWvAA

— Ahmad Salkida (@ContactSalkida) May 4, 2017

He gave the date of his video recording as Thursday afternoon (May 4, 2017). He stressed that the lies that were peddled were outrageous because he did not even know where they claimed he was at the time of the airstrike.

He insisted that they will not know where his current location was cautioning Buhari and the army chief, Tukur Buratai. ‘‘Shekau is alive, Shekau is alive, Shekau has yet to start killing on the part of his religion. She has opened his war, Shekau’s caliphate is very much alive,’‘ he said in Hausa.

This is the fourth time a report of Shekau being struck during military operations has resurfaced. Reports of his death came up in 2013 and 2014, which were immediately debunked through a video message from Shekau.