Shekau Is Truly Alive; Seen preaching openly [Photo evidence]

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau has started coming out openly, on Nigeria's soil, with impunity. A new Boko Haram video obtained by AFP showed the terrorist commander and his boys on an armoured vehicle parading down a road in one of the captured town they apparently control.

Abubakar Shekau is seen openly preaching to the residents.

Boko Haram had already renamed Gwoza town in Borno as Darul Hikma or House of Wisdom and Mubi in Adamawa as Madinatul Islam which means City of Islam.

The video, which was delivered through the same channels as past messages, shows armed men lined along a well-paved road, with three pick-up trucks, with heavy weapons also visible.

Black crested flags associated with the Islamist group are also shown.

In the video, Shekau restated a call he first made in August, saying, “We have indeed established an Islamic caliphate. To everyone living in Islamic Caliphate, we convey our greetings,” he said, specifically mentioning “brethren” in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Shishan (an Islamist term for Chechnya), Yemen, Somalia and “The caliphate in Iraq and Syria.”

How Chadian President fooled Nigeria on phantom Boko Haram ceasefire

According to The Cable, it was gathered on Sunday how the Federal Government was taken for a ride by the president of Chad, Idriss Deby over the phantom ceasefire deal with Boko Haram

A source, who was involved in the negotiations told the online news medium that Federal Government was still uncertain if the dummy was deliberately sold to Nigeria by Déby or if the Chadian president himself was hoodwinked into believing it was genuine.

Déby was said to be working for Boko Haram as he has refused to communicate with Nigeria since the insurgents renewed their attacks.

“Nigerian government officials no longer have access to Déby, who is now said to be sick. It appears he set us up to drop our guard and allow Boko Haram to gain ground,” the official said.

The Cable also reported how Déby put the deal together, revealing how he said Boko Haram got in touch with him, how he authenticated the message and how he got the Nigerian government involved in the negotiations.

A journalist with links to the group had however described the claim as “shadows and bubbles” and warned Nigerians not to believe it.

Not long after that, Boko Haram became more ferocious in their attacks, taking over more Nigerian towns, including the home of Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh.

Which way, Nigeria?