Obasanjo Calls for Deeper Understanding to Defeat Boko Haram

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigeria will only overcome the Boko Haram insurgency when its leaders move beyond surface narratives and confront the root causes of the crisis.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday at the public presentation of “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum” written by former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), Obasanjo emphasized that genuine progress depends on understanding the group’s real motivations.

He recalled visiting Maiduguri in 2011, shortly after the United Nations office bombing, to engage directly with members of the sect. “I discovered that many of them were not driven by political or religious ambitions but by a desire for a better life” he said. Obasanjo questioned why the insurgency has persisted for over 15 years despite several countermeasures, urging for more creative and preventive approaches.

He warned that Boko Haram, banditry and kidnapping have now become interconnected threats that must be addressed collectively.

Also speaking at the event, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, said the insurgency represents a national wound that continues to bleed through the stories of missing victims like Leah Sharibu and the Chibok girls. He noted that the term Boko Haram oversimplifies the sect’s ideology, explaining that its actual name, Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da’wa wa al-Jihad, points to a complex ideological struggle rather than mere opposition to education.

Kukah maintained that military force alone cannot end the war, as “insurgents fight to die while soldiers fight to live.” He also cautioned that religion has been weaponized by some northern politicians for political gain, describing Islamism — the manipulation of faith for political authority — as dangerous to Islam itself.

In his remarks, former National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno identified weak governance and lack of national cohesion as major obstacles to lasting peace. “Without unity and effective governance, insecurity will persist” he stated.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, clarified misconceptions about jihad, explaining that it means “to strive” for self-improvement and excellence, not violence. He stressed that the insurgents’ frustrations are tied to poor governance and inequality rather than opposition to education.

“Many of them are educated; their anger is rooted in bad governance. They want freedom, dignity, and the right to live decently” he said.

The dialogue revealed a common understanding among all speakers — that ending Boko Haram requires fresh ideas, inclusive governance, social justice and a deep understanding of ideology and leadership failures.