The Minister of
Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Tuesday, admitted that the leader of the
Boko Haram sect, Shekau, has not been killed contrary to many claims of
his death by the government in the past.
He also said it has been difficult arresting the sect leader because the
insurgents normally wear masks to conceal their identities and divert
attention.
Dan-Ali spoke with State House correspondents shortly after briefing
President Muhammadu Buhari of his ministry’s activities at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said anybody who has the opportunity of visiting Sambisa Forest would
know that Boko Haram has been defeated.
He said the nation’s security forces have dominated the sect’s
stronghold including Camp Zero that served as their spiritual
headquarters and communication base.
The minister 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.
“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.”
When confronted with the fact that the government had at different times
in the past claimed that Shekau had 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.”
The minister said he briefed the President about the security situation
across the country and he (the President) was impressed with the
performance of the armed forces.
He said although it could be difficult to achieve 100 percent, the
government is working hard to ensure that there is peace in all parts of
the country.
Dan-Ali said while Buhari had directed the security forces to do more,
they have also requested for more equipment.
He said the issue of Internally Displaced Persons across the country
also came up during the briefing.
He said the government was interested in seeing the IDPs returning to
their homes so that economic activities can pick up in the deserted
villages. – Punch.
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