Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated then–opposition leader Muhammadu Buhari to represent them in negotiations with the federal government during his administration’s search for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Jonathan made the revelation on Friday at the public presentation of SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and The Boko Haram Conundrum, a book written by former Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor, held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
“One of the major scars on my government is the scar of the Chibok girls. It is a scar that will die with me,” Jonathan said. “I pray that, perhaps one day, the leaders of this group will be literate enough to write a book or come out to tell Nigerians what Boko Haram was all about.”
The former president explained that his government had established several committees to explore dialogue as a non-combatant approach to tackling the insurgency, which began in 2009. “During one of such processes, the insurgents put forward Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government,” he revealed.
Jonathan noted that he had expected Buhari, who later became president in 2015, to leverage that background in achieving a breakthrough. “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,” he said.
He also stressed that the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction in 2014 remains a permanent scar on his administration, adding that external forces might have supported the insurgents given their access to sophisticated weapons. “Where are these guns and sophisticated weapons coming from? You begin to see that external hands are also involved,” Jonathan said.
Urging the present administration to adopt a balanced approach, he advised: “The issue of carrots and the stick may be adopted. We tried different options during my five years in office. I believe we did our best, but the problem is more complicated than people think.”
Representing President Bola Tinubu at the event, Minister of Defence Mohammed Abubakar Badaru commended General Irabor’s book, describing it as “not only history; it provides guidance for the present and serves as a roadmap for the future.” He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernising the armed forces, improving intelligence, and strengthening regional cooperation.
Other dignitaries present included the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, who reviewed the book; Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa; former National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno; General Alexander Ogomudia (rtd); Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba (rtd); and Minister of Budget and National Planning Atiku Bagudu.
