Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised a stark warning that Boko Haram has become so entrenched in Nigeria that it is now “virtually part of our life.”
He urged citizens and leaders alike to start asking the right questions if the country truly wants to defeat the menace.
The former president spoke on Friday, October 3, at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book written by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, in Abuja.
“Boko Haram is now virtually becoming part of our life. Should we accept that? If we should not accept it, what should we do?
“How much do we know? Even from the other side, and from this side, have we been active enough? Have we been proactive enough?
“I think we have to ask ourselves the necessary questions to be able to deal with this thing that is now becoming a monster within our country,” Obasanjo said.
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Obasanjo, who penned the foreword to the book, described the insurgency as a cancer on Nigeria’s peace and stability, stressing that silence or complacency is no longer an option.
He called for deeper, more courageous debates on how the country can chart a new course against terrorism.
The elder statesman praised Irabor for documenting his insider account of Nigeria’s long fight against insurgency, saying history would remember his effort.
According to Obasanjo, sharing frontline experiences is crucial to offering future generations lessons and strategies to tackle terrorism.
The book unveiling drew a powerful audience that underlined the gravity of the Boko Haram challenge. Among those present were former President Goodluck Jonathan, service chiefs, past and serving governors, and clerics.
For years, Boko Haram has devastated communities, displaced millions, and claimed thousands of lives in the northeast and beyond.