Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has again criticised the Jonathan administration’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency. He believes more could be done to reach out to the militant Islamist group to find out what makes it violent.
In an interview with CNN, Obasanjo suggested that the government should adopt a dual-track approach rather than just cracking down on the group.
“To deal with a group like that, you need a carrot and stick. The carrot is finding out how to reach out to them,” he said. “When you try to reach out to them and they are not amenable to being reached out to, you have to use the stick.”
Obasanjo said President Goodluck Jonathan was “just using the stick” in his efforts. “He’s doing one aspect of it well, but the other aspect must not be forgotten.”
The government has said several times that it is ready for talks with Boko Haram if its leaders are ready to identify themselves.
The Islamist militants, who operate chiefly in the North, have carried out numerous deadly attacks on mosques, churches and businesses and are suspected of having links to al Qaeda, the international terrorist group.
Obasanjo, who recently said the government was slow in tackling Boko Haram, recalled that he acted swiftly and decisively when security personnel were killed in Odi” The government replied that the Odi expedition was a disaster as it trampled on the people’s human rights.
The former President said he had tried to reach out to Boko Haram about a year and a half ago through a lawyer who was acting as the group’s proxy, and had asked if they had external backing.
The lawyer told him that the group was receiving support from other Nigerians who have resources overseas or “other organisations from abroad”, Obasanjo said.
“If they had 25 per cent support a year and a half ago, today that support has doubled,” the former president said.
Analysts suggest that reaching out to Boko Haram may be increasingly difficult because the group has split into various factions, some with a domestic focus and others with a more pan-jihadi approach.
Resolving the issue is key to Nigeria’s progress, according to Obasanjo, who now heads an eponymous foundation that is working to promote human security across Africa.
“Boko Haram undermines security, and anything that undermines security undermines development, undermines education, undermines health, undermines agriculture and food and nutrition security,” he said.
International rights group Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram has killed more than 2,800 people.
In a report published late last year, Amnesty International condemned the increasingly brutal attacks carried out by Boko Haram since 2009, but said Nigeria’s security forces “have perpetrated serious human rights violations” in response. A military spokesman rejected the allegations.
The militant group, whose name means “Western education is forbidden”, is fighting to impose a strict version of Sharia law in the northern part of the country.
In the past, the group attacked other Muslims it felt were on an immoral path, but it has increasingly killed Christians.
The U.S. State Department has accused Boko Haram of attacking mosques and churches to incite tensions between the two religious groups, hoping to drive a wedge between them. It has condemned some of the group’s leaders for alleged ties to al Qaeda.
However, despite the ongoing challenges the country faces, Obasanjo said he does not foresee Nigeria ever splitting in two, into north and south.
“We in Nigeria now know that it would cost us much more to break up than it will cost us to come together,” Obasanjo said. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Obasanjo has shown that he is an administrator...
ReplyDeleteYou are a moron! Obasanjo is NOW a good administrator because he is not still in Power? Funny, he is now talking about "Carrot and Stick".
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious you don't follow Baba well each time he talks. At this time GEJ needed to be provoked to work and that's what Baba is doing cos he's the right person to do it or GEJ will order arrest of the observer. Who told you he doesn't talk to GEJ one on one. Pls read Babas word with your common sense and understand it well. I think Baba is right. He said GEJ is using stick well but needed carrot. That's right for now.
DeleteIf he thinks he knows how best to go about it, what stops him from working wt d govt to achieve that rather than granting interviews all over the place. He is an elder statesman, let him do something pls.
ReplyDeletePls u don't have to call someone else a moron to pass your message across.
ReplyDeleteIt just shows how little minded you are.
This man is a legend.
ReplyDeleteas if he applied carrot and stick during odii killings.
ReplyDeleteWhen a politician especially the lick's of. OBJ is giving an opinion, then it has to be looked into very well before taking or throwing it away.
ReplyDeleteHe talks of carrot and stick, that is what this govemnt is doing right now. As an elder statesman this is not what OBJ should be doing if really he means well.
OBJ and the rest of them knows what is really happening in this country. But GOD will use their own hands to destroy their self.
Obasanjo Thinks he is 'Mr know all' Let him stop criticising the president. The other time he was talking about revolution. Why can't he keep his mouth shut. If he has any useful advise to give Mr president, there are better ways of doing so. I believe GEJ has so much respect for Him. Why is he embarking on media criticism against his anointed one?
ReplyDeleteHaha haha obasanjo dis is wat de cal (siyasa) he does nt foresee nigeria ever in two (in mafadi wawa majiyi ba wawa bane) de president must com 4rm de north if nt BH must do dere work
ReplyDeletethe formal president has made his own opinion,He should try and back Jonathan to fish out the sponsors of Boko Haram.
ReplyDeleteWhat is consine OBJ about sharia law, he dont need to talk about it and let us leave BH to hold 2015 presidential post
ReplyDeleteIt a lie that BH is attacking mosques.How many so far?.BH are moslems and God will deal with them.Just watch.
ReplyDeleteI respect obj a lot the issue of boko aharam started right from his rule from sharia law in the north to militancy in niger delta name it all these are the wrong foundation people set for their successors he should call ibb and other lands in the north to stop this madness or the north level of underdevelopment will get bad
ReplyDeleteObasanjo may advice the government like many others are doing, but the administration of GEJ are only interested in what they will credit to themselves. GEJ is conered by psychopants who neither consider the country nor the president. Its unfortunate the president cant see that for himself. He is blinded by his ambition and his aides are using that to advice him to dig his own grave. Too bad! Obasanjo, worse as he can be, looks like an angel when compared with GEJ.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 12:08, devil incarnate.
ReplyDeleteWhat other work is left 4 BH to do dat defloration have not done.
Blood suckers and demons.
Only God knows what wld have happened if oil came from d North?
Stupid fool.
last time dy asked d president to com to saudi aribia 4 setlement, nonsense!!!! i tink obj is just criticizin GEJ bcos wat BH wants is an islamic state which is nt posible
ReplyDeleteTruth is, Boko Haram and Sharia law started under Obasanjo's administration as far back as 2004. So who is he fooling?
ReplyDeleteYes obj is doin dat yoruba jealousy using yoruba pastors as politics to convince people we understandoo.obj never mention about sharia in his administration.obj should hv been in prison a criminal like him.
Deleteonly God will savd Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteOBJ, DO YOU NEGOTIATE WITH GHOSTS?. MAY BE YOU WANT GEJ TO USE YOUR ZAKI BIAM AND ODI STYLE?. SAY SO JARE, BALOGUN OF OWU. PERIOD.
ReplyDelete