Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has revealed that the Boko Haram insurgent group once nominated then-former President Muhammadu Buhari to represent them in peace negotiations with the federal government during his administration. The surprising disclosure was made on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the public presentation of a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, titled SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and The Boko Haram Conundrum.
Jonathan reflects on Boko Haram and the Chibok tragedy
Speaking at the event held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, Jonathan reflected on the complexities of the Boko Haram crisis and the scars it left on his presidency. “One of the major scars on my government is the scar of the Chibok girls. It is a scar that will die with me,” Jonathan said, referring to the 2014 abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State — one of the most haunting episodes of the insurgency.
The former president explained that during efforts to explore peaceful, non-combatant approaches to ending the crisis, his administration established several committees. It was during one of those peace initiatives, he revealed, that the insurgents proposed Buhari as their preferred representative in any dialogue with the government.
Why Jonathan hoped Buhari’s presidency would resolve the crisis
Jonathan expressed hope that Buhari’s later emergence as president in 2015 might have created an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and possible surrender by the insurgents. However, he noted that the insurgency not only persisted but remained unresolved to date.
“I thought that after I left, within a reasonable time, General Buhari would wipe them out. But even today, Boko Haram is still there. The issue of Boko Haram is far more complex than it is often presented,” Jonathan stated.
A deeper crisis than many understand
Recalling his earlier experiences as Vice President under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Jonathan highlighted how dialogue and amnesty helped resolve the Niger Delta militancy. However, Boko Haram, he said, has proved more difficult. “If you conduct research and interview many people, you will only get part of the story, but never the full story of Boko Haram. I was there. Boko Haram started in 2009 when I was vice president. I took over in 2010 and spent five years battling the insurgency until I left office.”
He emphasized that the complexity of the insurgency goes beyond internal grievances, suggesting possible international involvement. “Where are these guns and sophisticated weapons coming from? You begin to see that external hands are also involved,” he warned.
A call for a balanced approach: Carrot and stick
Jonathan advised the current administration to adopt a hybrid strategy that combines force with incentives. “The issue of carrots and the stick may be adopted,” he said. He also cautioned against oversimplifying the insurgency by attributing it solely to poverty or hunger. “We tried different options. I don’t want to sound like I’m defending my government, but I believe we did our best,” he added.
Hopes for historical clarity
Jonathan expressed a desire for Boko Haram leaders to eventually speak or write about their motivations, in order to provide Nigerians with a fuller understanding of the group’s origins and ideology. “I pray that, perhaps one day, the leaders of this group will be literate enough to write a book or come out to tell Nigerians what Boko Haram was all about.”
Event attended by key figures in Nigeria’s security and political landscape
The book launch was attended by several high-ranking dignitaries, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, who reviewed the book; Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa; former National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno; and Ministers Atiku Bagudu (Budget and National Planning) and Mohammed Badaru (Defence), who represented President Bola Tinubu.
Minister Badaru described Irabor’s book as not only a historical account but also “a roadmap for the future,” reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to strengthening national security through modernisation of the armed forces and enhanced regional cooperation.
