Shekau Seeks Escape Routes As Troops Receive Order To Capture Terrorist Leader Alive

Determined to demystify the Boko Haram sect, which has instilled terror in the hearts of Nigerians, troops involved in the counter-insurgency operation in the North-East have been given the order to capture the sect’s leader – Abubakar Shekau – alive, who is believed to be desperately looking for escape routes following the recent military onslaught in the area.
The terrorist leader has been killed at least twice by troops, but somehow, he manages to resurface to the embarrassment of the country’s security agencies, who argue that ‘Abubakar Shekau’ is a pseudonym for the leader of the terrorist organization.

However, the story is set to change with Shekau now wanted alive, to put such confusions to rest.
PR Nigeria, which issues statement on behalf of security agencies, said yesterday in a statement: “Nigerian troops have been put on red alert for any insurgent leader bearing the name of Imam Abubakar Shekau who is believed to be desperately looking for escape routes. A senior military source informed PR Nigeria that troops have been urged to try at all costs to capture Shekau alive so that he would face justice.
“On at least two occasions now, troops have killed characters calling themselves Abubakar Shekau in videos but the insurgents managed to find other individuals looking like him and pretend that he was still alive”.
The statement noted that the order to get Shekau alive is to ensure that it will no longer be possible to resort to the same trick.
Meanwhile, the morale of troops in the battlefront has been boosted by the decision of senior military officers to lead the operations directly, influencing change of some commanders.
In the past, Colonels led direct attacks but because of the large scale desertions, Army Generals decided to directly lead the war and this has greatly boosted troop morale, the agency said.

NEWS 15:37