The Federal Government has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of contributing to the early proliferation of terrorism in Nigeria by failing to decisively confront extremist groups during his tenure.
Sunday Dare, spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, criticised Obasanjo and certain perennial presidential aspirants for alleging that the current administration is incapable of protecting Nigerians. In a detailed post on X, Dare said:
“It is historical fact that the ideological foundations and early cells of Boko Haram were incubated during Obasanjo’s civilian presidency. While they recruited, indoctrinated, built camps, and flaunted authority, the state failed to act decisively.
“What began as a preventable extremist sect transformed into:
- A violent insurgency
- A cross-border terrorist franchise
- A regional menace aligned with global jihadist movements
“For the leader under whom the first seeds of terrorism were allowed to germinate to now issue public lectures is not just ironic, it is reckless,” he added.
Dare emphasised that it is irresponsible for Obasanjo to critique the current government on security matters when the early failures that allowed terrorism to escalate occurred under his watch.
Backstory
On Friday in Jos, Plateau State, Obasanjo expressed concern over Nigeria’s ongoing insecurity, suggesting that the current administration appears unable to protect its citizens. He further asserted that Nigerians have a right to seek foreign intervention, citing what he described as the government’s failure to provide adequate protection.
Referring to his own tenure, Obasanjo claimed that Nigeria possessed the capacity to track and locate criminals nationwide, although technological tools for remotely neutralising threats were lacking at the time. He questioned why the current administration, equipped with modern technologies such as drones, still relies on negotiations or conciliatory measures instead of decisive force.
Tinubu’s Strategy Against Terrorism
According to Dare, the Tinubu administration is confronting terrorism through a comprehensive approach combining military pressure, intelligence operations, border control, and non-kinetic initiatives to weaken extremist influence.
“President Tinubu is not facing a conventional security challenge. He is confronting terrorism in full-spectrum form, both internal and trans-national. His strategy is clear:
- Kinetic pressure and modernisation of military capability
- Intensified intelligence-led operations
- Restricting terrorist mobility and dismantling logistics
- Retaking and holding territory
“Beyond this, non-kinetic efforts are restoring governance in underserved and contested zones, deploying economic stabilization and community programmes, counter-radicalisation and reintegration initiatives, and building trust to deny terrorists the human terrain they exploit,” Dare said.
He stressed that groups attacking communities, kidnapping residents, bombing infrastructure, and confronting security agencies should be recognised for what they are: terrorists. Dare identified ISIS-linked and al-Qaeda-linked cells, cross-border fighters, and domestic extremist factions often labelled as bandits as part of the current threat.
“These actors share ideology, weapons, money, and logistics, and operate with one objective: undermining the Nigerian state,” he added.
Impact of Undermining National Security
Dare warned that public comments from former leaders questioning Nigeria’s capabilities embolden terrorist organisations.
“When former leaders disparage the nation’s capacity, they hand psychological victories to the very terrorists murdering, kidnapping, and extorting Nigerians – terrorising Nigerians in plain language. A real statesman offers support, not soundbites,” he said.
He urged Obasanjo to acknowledge past failures and leverage his influence to support national security efforts instead of undermining them. Dare concluded that the administration will remain undistracted by selective amnesia cloaked as elder-statesmanship and will continue pursuing a whole-of-government strategy to defeat terrorism and protect every part of Nigeria.
