If I knew Shekau’s whereabouts, I won’t tell Nigeria – Chadian President

The Chadian President, Idris Deby, who earlier this year was quoted as saying he knew the whereabouts of wanted Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has backtracked on his claim while also insisting on keeping any possible knowledge of the location of the terrorist to himself.

“I cannot tell you today that I know where Shekau is hiding and even if I knew I won’t tell you,” Mr. Deby told journalists on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mr. Deby spoke after a meeting with Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Chadian President stated that the war against Boko Haram had not yet been totally won because Chad and Nigeria were not working together on the field.

He said it was regrettable that the “two armies that is the Nigerian army and the Chadian Army are working separately in the field”.

“They are not undertaking joint operation,” he said. “If they were operating joint operation probably they would have achieved more results.”

Mr. Deby had, sometime in March, accused Nigeria of downplaying the threat from Boko Haram and failing to cooperate with the regional coalition battling the jihadists, saying there had been zero contact between their armies.

Chad, Cameroon and Niger were believed to have also joined forces since January to battle Boko Haram, whose insurgency has claimed more than 13,000 lives in northern Nigeria since 2009.