Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised alarm over Nigeria’s protracted battle against Boko Haram, noting that the 15-year insurgency has now far exceeded the duration of the Nigerian Civil War, which ended after 30 months.
Speaking on Sunday during a virtual edition of the Toyin Falola Interviews, which featured Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and former CBN Deputy Governor, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Obasanjo said Nigeria will continue to struggle with insurgency and banditry unless the military overhauls its approach.
He argued that the country’s armed forces are still largely equipped and trained for “conventional warfare,” rather than the complex, asymmetric confrontations posed by insurgents.
Obasanjo outlined four critical areas Nigeria must urgently strengthen—specialised training, modern equipment, actionable intelligence, and advanced technology.
According to him, the military’s current training does not match the fluid nature of insurgent groups who operate as “fleeting targets” and embed themselves within civilian populations.
“Among the countries that have done that fairly successfully is Colombia. Should we invite them to train our people? There is no shame in that,” he said, describing such preparation as highly specialised.
The former president also faulted the system that allows the military to handle its own equipment procurement, insisting that defence acquisition is “an industry” that requires a distinct professional structure.
Obasanjo expressed concern that despite Nigeria once believing the Boko Haram crisis would be short-lived, it has now dragged on for nearly a decade and a half.
He also revisited his 2011 visit to Maiduguri, undertaken to understand the roots of Boko Haram. Obasanjo said he discovered that the group was organised and that its then-leader, Mohammed Yusuf, enjoyed a surprisingly positive reputation among local clergy.
He narrated how initial efforts to open dialogue stalled due to mistrust on both sides, revealing that his independent overtures were not followed up by the government at the time.
“I appealed to them: ‘Can you cease fire for 21 days while the government works out how to reach you?’ I stepped out, and the government never made contact with them,” Obasanjo said.
He warned that without a strategic shift, Nigeria risks being locked in a perpetual cycle of insurgency and insecurity.
Comments