TheCable

The Boko Haram sect has released yet another video without Abubakar Shekau, its long time leader.

The group re-affirmed its allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in the latest footage.

The speaker, who did not identify himself, denied recent claims that some members of his group had surrendered to the army.

The whereabouts of Shekau is not known but the military is trying to be careful with categorical statements as a result of previous embarrassment suffered on the issue of Shekau’s death.

Responding to the last audio clip where Shekau purportedly refuted his death, the military said the sect leader is nobody.

“The military viewed as irrelevant and fruitless effort, the motive behind the recent audio clip presumably released by Shekau, the acclaimed leader of Boko Haram sect,” read a statement issued by the defence headquarters.

“Our candid advice to Shekau or his ghost; cohorts or impersonators is to toll the line of their fellow comrades and surrender now as no more hidden place for him or his criminal gang to operate freely any longer.”

The insurgents were heard chanting al-Baghdadi’s name

In the new video, Boko Haram also denied that the military had rescued a number of women and children from its custody, saying the security forces were resorting to a media campaign after failing on the battle front.

With recent advances against the sect, the military had continually reported batches of insurgents who surrendered during its operations.

Boko Haram is reported to have killed over 10,000 people in 2014 alone, and about 1,600 since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power.