LAGOS, Oct 30, (AFP): Nigeria’s army has released a poster of its 100 “most wanted” Boko Haram suspects, appealing to the public for information about their whereabouts. The poster, published in English and the local languages of Hausa and Kanuri, and with three hotline numbers, was launched on Wednesday in the northeastern city of Maiduguri. “We want names and other information about them,” army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman told AFP in a text message on Thursday.

Boko Haram’s shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau features twice in the rows of colour photographs but there was no immediate explanation about the duplication. However, Nigeria’s military has long claimed that Shekau — notorious for his rambling monologues and threats against civilian leaders — is a “nom de guerre” for a number of lookalikes.

The authorities have claimed he has been killed on at least three occasions, only for him to appear in a video soon afterwards to taunt defence chiefs. A long-awaited regional task force is set to begin raids on Boko Haram’s last enclaves when the rainy season ends soon, the U.N.’s top official in West Africa said