I'm alive, says Boko Haram leader, Shekau

Boko Haram sect leader Abubakar Shekau  in a taped video has declared that he is alive, thereby finally putting paid on the claims by the military that its men had killed dreaded leader of the insurgent group..

He appeared in a video clip posted online on Wednesday.

The Joint Task Force had last August claimed that Shekau was killed following gunshot wounds he sustained during an encounter with operatives of the security task force in June.

But Shekau in the video said that the Boko Haram was responsible for the attack in Benisheikh, Borno State, where over 250 people were affected last week.

Shekau, dressed in a military uniform while making uncomplimentary remarks about Jonathan, United States (U.S.) President Barack Obama, President Fancois Hollande of France and Queen Elizabeth of England, said the leaders should be ashamed for apparently believing that he was dead.

He also said,  'They said I am dead, but here I am. The world should know that I am alive and will only die at the appointed time. Everybody should be judged according to the dictates of his conscience.

'What I am doing is written in the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith and I will not stop. I challenge all the clerics of the world to question my deeds. Those underrating my capacity should have a re-think. I will never allow democracy to thrive.

'The concept of government of the people by the people for the people will never be possible and will never exist. Democracy shall be replaced only by the government of Allah, from Allah and for Allah.'

He also said that Nigeria would not be able be to defeat his group.