Daily lens Report
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated Muhammadu Buhari—then an opposition leader—to represent them in peace talks with the federal government during his administration’s attempt to end the insurgency through dialogue.
Jonathan made the disclosure in Abuja on Friday at the launch of SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and The Boko Haram Conundrum, authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor.
“The abduction of the Chibok girls is one of the deepest scars on my government. It is a scar that will die with me,” Jonathan said, adding that Boko Haram’s choice of Buhari as a negotiator underscored the complexity of the insurgency.
Jonathan recalled that as vice president under Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he had witnessed dialogue help resolve the Niger Delta militancy, but the Boko Haram crisis defied similar efforts. “We set up committees, we explored options. At one point, they nominated General Buhari to negotiate with government. I thought that when he later became president, it would help resolve the matter—but the insurgency persisted.”
He stressed that Boko Haram’s survival cannot be explained by poverty alone, pointing to sophisticated weapons as evidence of external involvement. “Where are these guns and weapons coming from? Clearly, external hands are at play,” he said.
Jonathan urged the Tinubu administration to adopt a blend of incentives and pressure in confronting terrorism. “The carrot and stick approach may be necessary,” he advised, while reiterating that Boko Haram remains far more complex than popularly presented.
Looking back, Jonathan admitted his years in office were defined by the insurgency. “I spent five years battling Boko Haram. I thought by now, it would have ended. Yet even today, it is still with us,” he said.
