In what appears to be its parting gift, the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in the troubled North-East state of Borno has announced the death of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

The announcement, made in a statement issued today by JTF spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, comes exactly a week after Shekau in a video released in Borno State boasted that he was in “good health” despite the offensive of the Nigerian military and challenged world leaders such as US President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: “They are no match for me.”

It also comes six days after Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters announced that Shekau’s second-in-command, Momodu Bama, and 17 others, had been killed in a shoot-out between Special Forces and the insurgents.

Shekau, according to Col. Sagir, as quoted by RayPower FM monitored in Lagos, was shot and escaped, only to later die of the gunshot wounds.

Quoting foreign news sources, News Express had on August 2 reported that Shekau had been shot and deposed in a palace coup, but there was no confirmation by the Nigerian military until today’s statement by Col. Musa.

As reported earlier today, JTF’s operations in the North-East are winding up today, as it hands over to a new Army Division created to continue the counter-insurgency operation.

Photo shows Shekau.