Former President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified his comment about late President Muhammadu Buhari and Boko Haram but denied saying the two had ties.
The former president reportedly claimed on Friday at the public presentation of a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, a general, that Boko Haram once nominated Mr Buhari, before he became president, as its preferred negotiator.
Apart from media reports affirming his statement, an aide to Mr Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, wrote on X that he attended the event where Mr Jonathan made the statement.
“Earlier today, I was at the book launch of former Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor (Rtd), where former President Goodluck Jonathan disclosed during his remarks that in one of the committees his administration set up to explore dialogue, Boko Haram once nominated the later President Buhari to represent them in negotiations with the government,” Mr Ahmad, who worked with Mr Buhari when the latter was president, wrote.
However, in a statement by his spokesperson on Saturday, Mr Jonathan said his statement was grossly misrepresented.
In the statement issued by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Mr Jonathan clarified that at no time did he suggest or imply that his successor, Mr Buhari, was connected to or supportive of the terrorist group.
“The former president’s comments were grossly misrepresented,” the statement read. “His reference was to a well-documented episode when various individuals and factions falsely claimed to represent Boko Haram and purported to name prominent Nigerians as possible mediators: without those individuals’ knowledge or consent.”
According to Mr Jonathan, his comments were made in the context of illustrating “the devious and manipulative strategies” used by Boko Haram during its early years.
He said his point was that the group often invoked the names of respected public figures to create confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.
The former president further explained that his rhetorical question about why Boko Haram did not end its violent campaign when Mr Buhari became president was meant to underscore the absurdity of claims that the group genuinely wanted him as a mediator.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Dr. Jonathan recognises that President Muhammadu Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence,” the statement added.
The statement emphasised that Messrs Buhari and Jonathan shared a common goal of restoring peace and stability to Nigeria during their respective administrations.
Mr Jonathan, however, urged the public to disregard any “distorted interpretations” of his remarks, stressing that his commitment remains toward peace, unity, and the strengthening of democratic values in the country.
The statement notes that Mr Jonathan believes that the nation’s progress depends on a truthful understanding of its challenges, not on the distortion of facts for political or sensational purposes.
Buhari’s ex-spokesperson reacts
Several newspapers also reported that Garba Shehu, former spokesperson to late President Buhari, dismissed Mr Jonathan’s claim that Boko Haram once nominated Mr Buhari as a mediator, describing it as false and politically motivated.
Mr Shehu urged Mr Jonathan to stop distorting facts for political relevance ahead of 2027.
The road to 2027
There are reports that Mr Jonathan is warming up to join the presidential race in 2027.
Although the former president has not confirmed this personally, his close ally told Vanguard that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will pitch Mr Jonathan against President Bola Tinubu
The presidency welcomed a possible Jonathan challenge, with presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga saying Nigerians won’t “forget his dismal record in office.”
Boko Haram insurgency: A shared blame
Boko Haram began around the early 2000s, but the failure of successive governments—especially Messrs Buhari and Jonathan’s—helped the group to significantly grow, spreading from Borno to other states in the North-east.
Mr Jonathan was the president when Boko Haram staged a strong comeback after the 2009 clash with the police.
He was the president when more than 200 school girls were seized by the violent group in Chibok, Borno State. His failure to win the war, among other things, was used to oust him in 2015 when Mr Buhari succeeded him.
Under Mr Buhari’s leadership (2015–2023), Nigeria made significant gains against Boko Haram, reclaiming territories the group once controlled in the northeast.
However, the insurgency evolved as Boko Haram split, with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) emerging as a stronger faction aligned with the Islamic State.
Despite military successes, attacks persisted, especially in Borno and nearby states, causing heavy casualties and displacement.
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While Mr Buhari’s government weakened the group’s territorial hold, the violence continued in new forms, fueling broader insecurity across northern Nigeria. The war also has a cross-border dimension, prompting regional governments to form the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
Meanwhile, the schism that rocked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under President Tinubu’s leadership is now posing a threat to MNJTF, with junta-led Sahelian states tactically withdrawing.
This, as noted by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, has culminated in broader security threats with spillover of violence in the Sahel spreading through Nigeria’s porous borders.
The transborder security is becoming worse with groups like Lakurawa and JNIM infiltrating Nigeria’s border communities.
Experts have warned that the situation could become worse if the ECOWAS schism is not well addressed.
