CHIBOK GIRLS’ ABDUCTION REMAINS A SCAR I'LL DIE WITH

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By: Sefiu Ajape

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted that the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls is an “indelible scar” on his legacy.

He made the remark on Friday during the public presentation of SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a memoir written by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.

Jonathan commended Irabor, describing him as “a soldier who stood for truth and never played politics with security.”

Reflecting on the 2014 kidnapping of 276 girls in Chibok, Borno State, the former President said the incident would haunt him for life.

“The title of this book is quite interesting. One of the major scars on my government is the Chibok Girls.

“As Bishop Kukah said, no plastic or cosmetic surgeon can remove it. It is a scar I will die with,” he said.

The abduction triggered global outrage and the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. While some girls escaped or were freed, more than 80 remain missing.

Jonathan recalled that Boko Haram began in 2009 while he served as Vice President under Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and escalated under his administration.

“I battled Boko Haram for five years as President,” he said, adding, “I thought Buhari would wipe them out quickly, but they remain.”

He stressed that the insurgency is “far more complex than many assume” and called for a fresh strategy.

“We must approach Boko Haram differently. The carrot and stick method may be required to address this insurgency,” Jonathan suggested.

He further alleged that the sect’s heavy weaponry indicated foreign backing.

“Sometimes they even had more munitions than our soldiers. That does not reflect the actions of hungry villagers,” he said.

Although Jonathan’s government was widely criticised for its handling of the abduction, he defended his initial silence, saying it was meant to protect intelligence efforts.

More than a decade later, about 189 of the girls have been rescued or released, but dozens remain in captivity. Survivors continue to face trauma, stigma, and interrupted education.

The Federal Government has repeatedly assured that the freedom of the remaining Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu remains a national priority.