15 years on, Boko Haram outlasts civil war — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern that the Boko Haram insurgency has dragged on for 15 years, far exceeding the duration of the Nigerian Civil War, which ended after 30 months.

Obasanjo warned that Nigeria’s battles with insurgency and banditry will persist unless the military adopts specialised foreign training, improves intelligence gathering, and deploys modern technology in its operations.

He made the remarks on Sunday while speaking virtually on the Toyin Falola Interviews, which also featured Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and former CBN Deputy Governor, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu.

According to the former president, Nigeria’s security forces remain largely trained for “conventional warfare,” which is ill-suited for the asymmetric and guerrilla-style conflicts the country now faces.

He outlined four critical areas the government must prioritise—specialised training, appropriate equipment, reliable intelligence, and advanced technology.

“The military is trained for conventional war and static enemies.

“But when targets are mobile or live among civilians, a different type of training is required,” Obasanjo said, citing Colombia as an example of a country that mastered such training. “There is no shame in seeking their help.”

He noted that the equipment and weapons required for counterinsurgency differ from those used in regular military combat.

On intelligence, he questioned whether Nigeria had earned the trust needed for effective intelligence sharing with foreign partners.

Obasanjo also criticised the practice of allowing the military to procure its own equipment, saying defence procurement is a complex system that should be treated as an industry.

Reflecting on the 15-year insurgency, he compared it with the civil war: “The civil war lasted 30 months—even though we thought it would end in six. But this fight against insurgents and criminals has gone on for nearly 15 years.”

Obasanjo also recounted his 2011 fact-finding trip to Maiduguri, where he sought to understand the origins and motivations of Boko Haram.

He said the group was organised, had clear leadership, and initially declined negotiations with the federal government.

He explained that he refused to travel to Borno on a government aircraft to avoid being perceived as a government emissary, which he believed would undermine trust.

Obasanjo said that although Boko Haram later agreed to talks, they demanded the meeting take place outside Africa—a condition he rejected.

He briefed the government on his findings but said no steps were taken afterward.

“When they asked how long they should wait, I pleaded with them: ‘Give 21 days for the government to reach out.’ I stepped aside—and the government never contacted them,” he said.