Fight against Boko Haram has now lasted longer than civil war – Obasanjo
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lamented that Nigeria’s battle against Boko Haram has dragged on for 15 years, far exceeding the 30-month duration of the Nigerian Civil War, and showing no sign of ending soon.
Obasanjo said Nigeria’s security crisis—spanning insurgency, banditry and terrorism—will persist unless the armed forces receive specialised international training, overhaul intelligence operations and adopt advanced technological tools.
He shared his concerns on Sunday while appearing virtually on the Toyin Falola Interviews, where Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and former Central Bank Deputy Governor Kingsley Moghalu also participated.
Obasanjo argued that the military is still conditioned for “conventional warfare”, despite facing insurgents skilled in irregular and guerrilla-style combat.
He said: “There are four important items and I hope that those who are in charge both military, executive, and legislature know what they are doing.
“First, there is training. There are different types of training. The military is trained for conventional war and static enemies; you plan, you go there, and you deal with it.
“If the people you are dealing with are fleeting targets or living among your people, you will need different types of training to deal with them.
“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. It is a specialised type of training.
“There is the equipment. The equipment to fight, including arms and ammunition to fight that type of warfare, is different from the equipment for conventional warfare.
“The third one is intelligence. You need absolute intelligence. Can others trust us with the intelligence that they have? And the fourth one is technology. These four have to come together and do other things internally.
“Then you ask the military to be the one buying equipment. It is not done. The whole thing is an industry. It is an industry.”
Reflecting on the insurgency’s longevity, the former leader noted: “Civil war lasted for 30 months… But this fight against insurgents and criminals has lasted for almost 15 years.”
Obasanjo also revisited his 2011 fact-finding trip to Maiduguri, describing efforts to understand Boko Haram’s roots and leadership at a time when the insurgents were reluctant to engage with the government.
He recalled: “When I went to Maiduguri, my aim was to understand what Boko Haram really was. Are these people real? Do they have leaders? What are their grievances?
“Before leaving, I informed the president of my intention. He offered me a plane, but I declined… So I went on my own.
“When I arrived, I discovered they were truly an organised group… I asked if they were willing to speak with the government. At first, they said no…
“I eventually reported everything to the government, but nothing was done.
“When they later asked how long they had to wait, 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.”
