Atiku Abubakar Recalls Obasanjo’s Swift Response to Early Boko Haram Threat, Criticizes Subsequent Leadership Failures
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has recounted how the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo decisively tackled the initial emergence of Boko Haram during their time in office. Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Atiku emphasized that the group’s early activities were quickly neutralized due to the strong political will demonstrated by the leadership at the time.
Atiku made the remarks during a visit by stakeholders from Kogi East Senatorial District, led by former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba. The meeting, which was captured in a video posted on Atiku’s official Facebook page, offered insights into the formative years of the Boko Haram insurgency and how the Obasanjo administration confronted the threat.
According to Atiku, Boko Haram first appeared in 2002 in Yobe State, a northeastern region of Nigeria. At the time, the group had just begun its activities, and their operations raised early concerns about religious extremism and potential insecurity. Atiku narrated that once the development came to the attention of President Obasanjo, he immediately sought advice on how to address the situation.
“You remember when the Boko Haram started in Yobe? It was actually in 2002. We were in office. The president sent for me. ‘VP, what do we do about this?’ Then I said, ‘Mr. President, let’s call the Service Chiefs and give them a deadline. If they can’t put it down, then they should put down their uniform and go away. We will get some other people,’” Atiku recounted.
He further explained that Obasanjo heeded the advice and summoned the nation’s Service Chiefs. In Atiku’s words, they were given “marching orders” to extinguish the insurgency without delay. “And within a few weeks, they put down the insurgency in Yobe. It never came up again until we left office,” Atiku said, underscoring the efficiency and resolve with which the issue was handled.
Atiku served as Nigeria’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007, during the country’s return to democratic governance after decades of military rule. His tenure under President Obasanjo marked the beginning of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
The former Vice President used the occasion to criticize subsequent Nigerian leaders for failing to maintain the same level of commitment to tackling Boko Haram and other security challenges. He lamented that the group’s resurgence, which later escalated into a full-blown insurgency affecting multiple states in the northeast, was largely due to indecision and lack of political will.
“So, I will say there’s a lack of political will on the leaders,” Atiku said pointedly. “When they’re killing your citizens, how can you even eat? They’re killing your citizens and you don’t give a damn; that is the greatest irresponsibility by any political leader, anywhere.”
Atiku’s comments reflect a broader frustration shared by many Nigerians who have witnessed over a decade of violent attacks, mass displacements, and humanitarian crises caused by Boko Haram and other armed groups. His remarks are a reminder of the expectations placed on leadership in times of national crisis and the consequences of inaction or poor governance.
Atiku’s recollection serves both as a historical reflection and a critique of current and past administrations, challenging Nigeria’s leadership to show stronger resolve in confronting insecurity and protecting its citizens.