Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria has said that Nigeria will win the war against Boko Haram the same way the country defeated Biafra secessionist during the civil war.
The civil war which occurred from 1967 to 1970 was an attempt by some states to break away from Nigeria and establish an independent Biafra state.
According to Daily Trust, the former president expressed optimism that the country would put an end to the insurgency. He said this on Monday, October 12 after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on his delegation’s mission to study Columbia’s efforts in the fight against the country’s largest rebel group, FARC.
Obasanjo said it was not until every Boko Haram fighter had died before the country could claim to have defeated the insurgency. Rather, Boko Haram could be considered defeated as soon as the army had the upper hand and other measures had been put in place.
Obasanjo said: “Oh yes. If we won the civil war, we can win this one. But like the Columbian said, we are not waiting until we kill off every insurgent to say we have won. I believe that once the military has the upper hand, other measures that have to be taken will be put in place. There will be measures of socio-economic development, education, employment. All that has to go into the process of eventually winning the war and saying here is Uhuru”.
He also said that the three month target that the president gave to the army to defeat the insurgency would help them to have a focus.
“The president must give a target. When you give somebody a target, you give him something to aspire to, giving him an objective. Target is not cast in stone. I believe that if you are talking of getting the upper hand, gradually, we are getting the upper hand.
“We are not there yet, but we are getting close. And once we are getting upper hand, we move on and do other things.”
“We are not there yet, but we are getting close. And once we are getting upper hand, we move on and do other things.”
He also explained his reason for visiting the president
“I’ve come to see the president for two reasons. The first one is the one you’ve just seen. I brought a delegation of those of us who visited Columbia last year under the auspices of a foundation which I’m the chairman…We went to Columbia to see how the Columbian authorities were handling the issue of insurgency which had been with them for more than 50 years. As a result of that visit and the experience we had, a book was produced and I said to them that it would be interesting for us in Nigeria to learn as much as we can learn from the experience of Columbia.
“The second aspect of my visit was the work that both the president and the ECOWAS gave me in Guinea Bissau. The last time, we were able to resolve all the issues of getting a new Prime Minister. This time, we had also been able to resolve the issue of now forming a government.”
“The second aspect of my visit was the work that both the president and the ECOWAS gave me in Guinea Bissau. The last time, we were able to resolve all the issues of getting a new Prime Minister. This time, we had also been able to resolve the issue of now forming a government.”
He added that he was enjoying his retirement.
“I am enjoying it wonderfully well. Otherwise, I will not be here with you.”
Photos from Olusegun Obasanjo’s visit to President Buhari below
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