BOKO HARAM ONCE CHOSE BUHARI AS NEGOTIATOR, SAYS JONATHAN
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By Sunmisola Shodayo
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disclosed that Boko Haram militants previously selected former President Muhammadu Buhari to represent them in discussions with the Federal Government regarding peace negotiations.
Jonathan shared this information on Friday during the public launch of “Scars,” a book written by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd. ), in Abuja.
The ex-president stated that his administration established numerous committees to pursue dialogue with the sect, noting that during one such occasion, the insurgents identified Buhari as their preferred negotiator.
He further expressed that he believed it would have been straightforward for Buhari, upon assuming the presidency, to engage in negotiations with the terrorists for their surrender. However, the insurgency continued unabated.
Jonathan remarked, “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.
“So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and have a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it was still there till today.”
Jonathan emphasized that the failure of Buhari to eliminate Boko Haram militants underscores the complexity of the crisis, which is often oversimplified.
He stated, “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.
“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.
“So, it’s a bit complex, and not a matter of a single story. But I believe, as a nation, we have to look at the Boko Haram issue differently from the conventional approach. I believe one day we’ll overcome it. Once again, let me thank General Irabor for this, because I always appreciate people who document events clearly. That way, when we write our own accounts, we can borrow from such documentation.
“I also believe that all the military officers involved in the Boko Haram saga should provide information about what the group truly stood for.”
Jonathan also asserted that the Boko Haram issue transcends mere hunger, highlighting that his administration employed various strategies, albeit without success.
He remarked, “If it was only about hunger—because we tried different options—I don’t want to sound like I’m defending my government. That will be left for history when we document our books.
“But I believe we did our best: we set up different committees and tried various approaches during the five years I was in office. I believe the late Buhari, too, must have tried his best.”
I am of the opinion that the government—fortuitously, with the presence of the Defence Minister and representation from the service chiefs—must embrace a somewhat different strategy. With divine grace, we will succeed in addressing this crisis.
Jonathan characterized the kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014 as an enduring blemish on his administration.
The former president further expressed his hope that some leaders of the insurgent faction would ultimately document their actions, akin to how prominent figures from the Nigerian Civil War recounted their experiences, to elucidate the motivations behind the insurgency.
He remarked, “It is a scar I will die with. But perhaps later, more details may become known, and that too has to do with Boko Haram.
“What did they really want? Our chairman once raised the issue when he interviewed some of them, and they gave him certain perspectives. But I pray that one day, some of the Boko Haram leaders may be literate enough to document what they have done, so that people will truly understand what they wanted. It is similar to the story of the Nigerian Civil War.”
Jonathan urged the current administration to contemplate a balanced approach of incentives and consequences, emphasizing that the group’s advanced armaments indicated external assistance that transcended mere deprivation or poverty.
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He stated, “Issue of carrots and the stick may be adopted, and yes, probably the needs are there, but if you look at the weapons they use, and you value the weapons, then you know that these are not hungry people.
“So, the soldiers that sometimes capture some of the weapons will see better, but the weapons they use, the ammunition they use, sometimes they even have more ammunition than our soldiers.
“Where are these guns, sophisticated weapons coming from? And you begin to see that the external hands are also involved, especially when I was president.”
Boko Haram emerged in the early 2000s in Borno State but transformed into a significant security threat following the death of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf, while in police custody in 2009.
The group intensified its violent campaign against the Nigerian state, which included bombings, mass abductions, and assaults on both military and civilian targets.
In 2012, at the peak of Boko Haram’s violence, reports indicated that the sect identified Buhari as one of the esteemed northern leaders they trusted to mediate between themselves and the government.
However, Buhari publicly rebuffed the proposal at that time, accusing the Jonathan administration of attempting to involve his name in the crisis for political gain.
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