Obasanjo warns Boko Haram insurgency becoming part of Nigerians’ lives
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that the Boko Haram insurgency is becoming entrenched in Nigerians’ daily lives, stressing the need for deeper reflection and stronger action to confront the crisis.
Obasanjo gave the warning in Abuja on Friday at the public presentation of “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.).
“Boko Haram is now virtually becoming part of our lives. Should we accept that? If we should not accept it, what should we do? How much do we know? … Have we been proactive enough? I think we have to ask ourselves the necessary questions to be able to deal with this thing that is now becoming a monster within our country,” Obasanjo said.
The former president, who also wrote the foreword to the book, praised Irabor for documenting his experiences in combating terrorism, describing it as a courageous contribution to history.
The launch attracted high-profile attendees, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, governors, religious leaders, and serving and retired service chiefs.
Jonathan, in his remarks, disclosed that Boko Haram fighters once named then-General Muhammadu Buhari as their preferred negotiator during peace talks with his administration. He noted that while his government explored several committees and strategies to end the insurgency, the conflict proved more complex than often portrayed.
He admitted that the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls remains a painful and permanent scar on his presidency.
