Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said President Goodluck Jonathan is overwhelmed by Boko Haram and needs a new approach in handling the insurgents.
Olusegun Obasanjo
Speaking on a BBC programme, Focus on Africa, which aired a special edition on Nigeria’s insecurity yesterday night, Obasanjo said there's nothing wrong in trying a new approach to end the Boko Haram menace.
"If you had tried stick and stick alone and it has not worked, is there anything wrong to try something along with the stick," he said.
According to Obasanjo, in 2011, he took upon himself to investigate Boko Haram when they were getting out of hand in order to be a mediator and also find out if it was an organisation with aims and objectives and if they have foreign backing.
He said he met with people who knew the sect and he found out that Boko Haram has leaders and they had somebody acting as their lawyer.
"The lawyer, who was acting in proxy told me: ‘Mr President if you want to meet their leaders give me three hours. I will gather their leaders, not in Nigeria but outside Nigeria. Obviously, they have leaders," Obasanjo said.
Meanwhile, human rights activist Shehu Sani said Obasanjo has a list of the leaders of Boko Haram sect which has a theocratic agenda.
He warned the Federal government against using force to fight Boko Haram as it has not been able to yield any results.
He added that the federal government should first get the girls back home safely before using force on the Boko Haram insurgents.
Obasanjo had some days back condemned the President Goodluck Jonathan administration on how they handled the issue of the abducted Chibok School girls, saying they couldn't have acted immediately the news broke to save the girls but they didn't.
Naij.com
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