Shekau MIA in latest B’Haram video

A new video released online by the Boko Haram terrorist group has a prominent missing item: the face of the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, who has been in all videos released by the sect so far.

An unidentified speaker in the video, who’s face is covered by a headscarf, said the territories captured by the sect were still intact, and called called Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, “the lying coalition partners”.

The 10-minute message which was posted on the video-sharing site YouTube bears the logo “Islamic State in West Africa” and follows the militants’ pledge of allegiance in an audio message in March to the IS group, that has overrun large parts of Syria and Iraq.

The message is the first video released by Boko Haram since February, when Shekau was shown in high definition footage and vowed to disrupt Nigeria’s elections.

He has featured prominently in most of the group’s videos over the last three years and his absence in the latest message will likely stir further debate on his whereabouts or possible death.

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