Atiku Abubakar has criticized Nigerian presidents who succeeded Olusegun Obasanjo, holding them responsible for the escalation of Boko Haram’s activities, while commending Obasanjo’s administration for its prompt and effective response to the insurgency’s early days.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Atiku addressed stakeholders from Kogi East Senatorial District, led by Simon Achuba, the former Deputy Governor of Kogi State. He recounted the emergence of Boko Haram in Yobe State in 2002, during his tenure as Vice President.
Atiku shared, “You remember when the Boko Haram started in Yobe? It was actually in 2002. We were in the office. The president sent for me. ‘VP, what do we do about this?’ Then I said, ‘Mr President, let’s call the Service Chiefs and give them a deadline. If they can’t put it down, then they should put down their uniform and go away. We will get some other people.’”
He continued, “And he called the Service Chiefs; I was there, and gave them marching orders, and within a few weeks, they put down the insurgency in Yobe. It never came up again until we left office.”
Atiku lamented the resurgence of Boko Haram after their administration, attributing it to the lack of decisive action by later leaders. “So, I will say there’s a lack of political will on the leaders. When they’re killing your citizens, how can you even eat? They’re killing your citizens and you don’t give a damn; that is the greatest irresponsibility by any political leader, anywhere,” he stated.
He ended by holding subsequent leaders accountable for the ongoing insecurity, saying, “So I hold our leadership responsible for all the insecurity that is going on all over the place.”
