Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised alarm over Nigeria’s ongoing struggle against Boko Haram, noting that the insurgency has persisted for 15 years—far longer than the 30-month civil war. Speaking virtually on the Toyin Falola Interviews alongside Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and former CBN Deputy Governor Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Obasanjo warned that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency and banditry will remain unending unless the military undergoes specialized foreign training, strengthens intelligence gathering, and adopts modern technology.
Obasanjo emphasized that Nigeria’s security forces are still trained for conventional warfare, making them ill-equipped to tackle guerrilla-style asymmetric conflicts. Reflecting on his 2011 visit to Maiduguri, he revealed that Boko Haram’s early leadership had shown readiness for dialogue, including a proposed 21-day ceasefire, which the government failed to respond to.
“The people we are dealing with now are fleeting targets or live among civilians,” Obasanjo said. “Countries like Colombia have handled similar challenges. There’s no shame in learning from them or sending our people for training.” He stressed that progress depends on a combination of specialized training, proper equipment, intelligence, and technology.
The former president also raised concerns about internal sabotage, questioning whether Nigeria enjoys the trust of allies to share critical intelligence. He cited the Niger Delta crisis as an example, where leaks within security forces had undermined operations. Obasanjo criticized the tendency to throw money at security and development challenges instead of addressing underlying grievances, sharing how lack of employment drove a Niger Delta militant to violence despite having a chemical engineering degree.
Highlighting the need for national prioritization of security, Obasanjo urged the government to seek global support where necessary. On political coordination, he noted it is within the president’s discretion to convene the Council of State or consult experts.
Turning to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Obasanjo described its longstanding instability as “majorly internal,” with issues dating back to independence in 1960. He traced Rwanda–Congo tensions to both historical migrations and the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, noting that unresolved internal issues, rather than external actors, remain the root cause of the crisis.
Recalling his role in the Nigerian contingent of the UN peacekeeping force in Congo in 1960 and later as UN Special Envoy to Eastern Congo, Obasanjo highlighted the persistence of structural challenges, including governance, size, and geopolitical interests in strategic minerals. He criticized Congo’s unitary government model and weak military, warning that no external power can resolve its internal problems.
Obasanjo recounted private meetings with leaders of Rwanda and Congo, emphasizing that lasting solutions require the commitment of the Congolese themselves. He concluded that while international interest is inevitable, the ultimate responsibility lies with Congo’s leadership to manage its resources, security, and governance effectively.
