Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian president, discussing developments in his country relating to Boko Haram, with the Jamaica Observer on September 23 in Kingston. (Photo: Michael Gordon)
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo holds firmly to the view that Boko Haram is a nuisance that must be defeated. At the same time, he believes that the socioeconomic conditions that led to the birth of the militant Islamist group need to be addressed quickly.
“When you have these types of insurgencies anywhere, there are some underlying factors, and I believe that in the Nigerian case it is development, or lack of it,” Obasanjo told the Jamaica Observer on September 23.
Obasanjo, who served as Nigerian president from 1999 to 2007, was on a short visit to Jamaica where he spent the time with his friend, Ambassador Carlton Masters, the island’s first representative to the African Union.
Since it was founded in 2002, Boko Haram has created havoc in Nigeria through a wave of bombings, assassinations and abductions.
The group, which is estimated to have a fighting force of about 9,000, has declared its intention to overthrow the Government and create an Islamic state.
In August 2014, the group’s then leader, Abubakar Shekau, declared a caliphate in areas under its control.
“We are in an Islamic caliphate. We have nothing to do with Nigeria. We don’t believe in this name,” Shekau said at the time.
Today, Boko Haram is believed to have control over huge amounts of money and weapons, acquired mainly through raids on military bases and banks.
The group reportedly promotes a version of Islam which makes it “haram”, or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any Western-type social or political activity.
In April 2014, Boko Haram was the subject of fierce international condemnation after its members kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok town in Borno state.
The group said it would treat the girls as slaves and marry them off.
In August this year, Boko Haram released a video showing about 50 of the girls with a gunman who demanded the release of fighters in exchange for the girls.
Over the past several years Nigerian troops, backed by a multinational force, have fought deadly battles with Boko Haram, claiming that the insurgents have suffered heavy casualties.
When Obasanjo was asked to give his views on developments in Nigeria relating to the terror group he said: “Boko Haram is a menace that does nobody any good in Nigeria. The Government before [Muhammadu] Buhari did not handle it sufficiently well.
“Buhari understands that it is a menace that has to be dealt with and is taking measures to do that in a way that the military now has the upper hand over insurgency, whether it’s of Boko Haram or of any other type.
“…So, if the military aspect of the fight against insurgency is being successfully waged, then sooner or later, and I believe sooner than later, the socioeconomic aspect must be attended to.”
Obasanjo’s view is shared by political analysts who have been reported by the international media as saying that the threat Boko Haram poses will not go away until the Nigerian Government reduces “chronic poverty and builds an education system which gains the support of local Muslims”.
-Jamaicaobserver
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