Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied claims that he accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of having ties to Boko Haram, describing the reports as a misrepresentation of his remarks.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan clarified that at no time did he allege, imply, or suggest that Buhari supported or was connected to the terrorist group.
The clarification followed reactions to Jonathan’s comments on Friday at the launch of Scars, a book by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.), where he recalled that Boko Haram once listed Buhari among individuals they wanted to mediate peace talks with the government.
Eze explained that Jonathan’s reference was to Boko Haram’s deceptive tactics in their early years, when they falsely invoked the names of respected public figures as possible negotiators without their consent. He stressed that the former president’s remarks were aimed at illustrating the group’s duplicity, not implicating Buhari.
Garba Shehu, a former presidential spokesman, had earlier dismissed Jonathan’s account as “false and politically motivated.”
Jonathan’s office maintained that the former president recognised Buhari as a leader who stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence. It added that both men, during their tenures, shared a common commitment to peace and national stability.
Eze urged Nigerians to disregard the “distorted reports,” reiterating Jonathan’s commitment to peace, unity, and democracy.
