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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that Nigeria can only defeat the Boko Haram insurgency if both political and security leaders move beyond the dominant narratives surrounding the group.
He made this known on Friday in Abuja during the public unveiling of the book “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” written by the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.). Obasanjo emphasised the importance of gaining a deeper understanding of the group’s origins and motivations. He recalled his visit to Maiduguri in 2011 after the bombing of the United Nations office, where he engaged directly with some of the insurgents.
“I found they were not really aiming for anything political or seriously religious, but seeking a better life,” Obasanjo said. He questioned why the insurgency has continued for 15 years and called for more proactive and innovative strategies, warning that Boko Haram has now become interlinked with banditry and kidnapping.
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto also spoke at the event. He remarked that the insurgency represents the unhealed scars of unacknowledged victims such as Leah Sharibu and the Chibok schoolgirls. He criticised the labelling of the sect as Boko Haram, pointing out that the group identifies itself as Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da’wa wa al-Jihad, which he said reflects a deeper ideological conflict.
Kukah argued that relying solely on military action will not defeat the insurgency, as the militants “fight to die” whereas soldiers “fight to live.” He further accused certain northern politicians of using religion to gain political advantage, cautioning that “Islamism,” defined as using religion to impose political power, ultimately harms Islam itself.
Former National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno attributed the persistence of insecurity to faulty governance and a lack of national unity. “You cannot address insecurity in the absence of national cohesion,” he said. He stressed that governance failures significantly contribute to the escalation of conflict across the country.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, also addressed the gathering. He sought to correct common misunderstandings about the concept of jihad, explaining that it means “to strive” for excellence and not violence. He stated that the insurgents’ grievances stem primarily from poor governance, not from a rejection of education.
“Many of them have been educated. Their grievance is rooted in bad governance; they want freedom and the right to live as they feel they should,” the Sultan explained.
The occasion brought to light a shared belief among all the speakers that effectively overcoming Boko Haram will require fresh perspectives, inclusive governance, and an acknowledgement of the complex relationship between ideology, governance, and social justice.
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