Boko Haram: Leader Abu Qaqa is alive, We will target wives of govt officials

Two weeks after spokesman for  Boko Haram, Abu Qaqa was reportedly killed by members of the Joint military taskforce, the leader of the jihadists,  Abubakar Shekau, said in a YouTube message today that  Qaqa, is still alive. Curiously, the non appearance of the vocal Qaqa in the video is fueling speculations as to wether the message was just a stunt to create the imression the sect is not weakened. And that Qaqa is dead.

In a short video in Hausa language, Shekau claimed that 10 wives of Boko Haram members are currently being detained by Nigerian officials, an action he described as "demeaning," and threatened a round of reprisals on wives of government officials.

As if not to be left out of the string of violence, the  Boko Haram leader also threatened violence by the group over a recent anti-Islam video which denigrates Prophet Mohammed. Two weeks ago, Nigeria troops  claimed they had killed some senior commanders of Boko Haram near Kano and arrested others. One of those reportedly killed was Qaqa.

Previously, last February, the JTF also claimed it had arrested Qaqa, but the Boko Haram leadership denied the announcement, insisting that the man under arrest was not Qaqa but Abu Darda, who was identified as the head of the group's enlightenment committee.

"Qaqa" continued to speak for the group until last month when he was said to have been killed or arrested. Nothing has been heard from him since then, and his status remains unclear. - PointBlankNews