The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said that it does not know the whereabouts of the leader of Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau. Shekau was once claimed to have died from major wounds sustained in a raid by troops of his hideout but he resurfaced in a video weeks later to taunt the military.

Addressing a press conference in Maiduguri, the head of the nation’s counter-insurgency operation (Operation Lafiya Dole), Major General Lucky Irabor said the claim that Shekau had relocated to somewhere in Kala-Balge, in Borno North was a rumour that the military was yet to substantiate.

He said the whereabouts of Abubakar Shekau was largely unknown to the military, insisting that: “If I know where Shekau is now, I will grab his balls.”

He, however, claimed the army had since defeated the Boko Haram insurgents terrorising the north eastern part of the country.

He said, “it is now time for all Nigerians to contribute in the battle to win peace in the North East with the Nigerian troops having won the war against insurgency for the nation.”

He also added that three suicide female bombers were killed at Madagali in Adamawa State.