TheCable

The Nigerian army has placed a bounty of N3 million on Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Boko Haram sect.

In a statement on Thursday, Sani Usman, army spokesman, encouraged anyone with credible information that could lead to the arrest of Shekau to speak out.

“Anybody with such credible information can either contact the military command and control centre, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, any military location, security agencies or call the Nigerian Army Information and Call Centre 193,” Usman said.

On Tuesday, the army had said it had credible information that Shekau had been disguising as a woman in an effort to escape the theatre of operation.

“We reliably gathered that to avoid detection, Abubakar Shekau alternates between blue and black coloured hijabs. He was last seen in a black hijab,” the army had said.

“He is running for his dear life. He is desperately trying to escape the Theatre, disguises as a woman and dresses in hijab.”

This is the third time in six years that a bounty will be placed on Shekau.

In November 2012, the federal government placed an offer of N50m on Shekau, and N25m each on four other members of the sect which it described as members of the ‘Shurra Committee’, an inner circle within the sect that is responsible for its major decisions.

The US also, in June 2013, offered $7m for any information that could lead to the arrest of Shekau.