The leader of Boko Haram is believed to be fleeing the country, according to a report published Saturday by Nigeria's daily newspaper The Sun.

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the terrorist group, has been on the run since the Nigerian army took over Gwoza, where Boko Haram had its caliphate headquarters.

The Nigerian military has also deployed a special force, with the sole mission of capturing Shekau.

According to military intelligence sources cited by The Sun, Shekau had sent in the past few weeks emissaries to Islamic State group affiliates, seeking assistance to flee the country.

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“Having discovered that he was being tracked through his Thuraya satellite phone, Shekau recently dropped the line and handset totally to evade capture. But the last satellite image of him and other intelligence pieced together by forces on the battle frontline show his desperation to escape from the country,” said one of the sources quoted by The Sun.

Military sources have also confirmed that recent intelligence reports show Shekau has changed his look and physical appearance dramatically, and evidence points at several attempts to cross the border.

The leader of Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group earlier in March this year. Intelligence sources believe Shekau could be trying to escape to East Africa or North Africa, where the Islamic State group has affiliates, but could also be fleeing to the Middle East. 

Military officials could not confirm if the terrorist chief had already left the country or if he was still on the run.