Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said President Goodluck Jonathan is overwhelmed by the Boko Haram insurgency.The nation reports.
The former president, who spoke in Nairobi, Kenya, said he took it upon himself in 2011 to go on a fact finding mission when the insurgency became uncontrollable to see how to mediate.
“I met people especially families who knew them. I wanted to find out if it was an organization which has aims and objectives and if they have a foreign backing,” he stated.
He said the group has leaders, adding that there was somebody who acted in proxy as a lawyer to the sect.
“The lawyer who was acting in proxy told me that 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.
When asked if carrot and stick approach will work in dealing with the sect, he said: “Well, if you had tried stick and stick alone and has not worked, is there anything wrong to try something along with the stick?
“I doubt it very much if you will consider that as wrong because in your introductory statement in this programme, you made the point that no matter how well meaning the President might have been his assertion that he will be on top of Boko Haram has not been achieved,” the former president said rhetorically.
Human rights activist, Shehu Sanni, said Boko Haram is a sect that has a theocratic agenda.
Sanni said the sect is unlike others in the north, adding: “There are sects in the north that say Nigeria should adopt Islam but they are not as fundamental.”
He said the use of force has not been able to yield any result.
He cautioned the Federal Government to get the girls out first before using force to subdue the sect. Source: thenation
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