A video showing the leader of Nigeria's Islamic extremist Boko Haram group, earlier presumed dead, has been released here in which he is seen praising militants for recent attacks in the north.
A military spokesman had said in August that Ibrahim Shekau had died due to injuries he sustained during an attack by soldiers on a hideout.
"It was presumed that I was killed but here I am. I deliberately refused to respond on time but here I am talking and laughing at Nigerian authorities who misled the world that I am dead," Shekau said in the video where he was shown in a forest with several militants surrounding him.
He praised his terror group for recent killings in Nigeria especially the incident of September 17 where 142 persons were killed in the village of Benisheik in Borno state.
Previous reports of Shekau's death had also been false hence the announcement of his death in August was received with scepticism even among the military.
Boko Haram is fighting to install an Islamic caliphate across Nigeria and has killed more than 3,000 people since it started its militant campaign in 2009.
