By Obinna Uballa
A war of words erupted on Friday between former President Goodluck Jonathan and Garba Shehu, media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, over claims that Boko Haram once nominated Buhari to negotiate peace with the Nigerian government.
Jonathan, speaking at the public presentation of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), recounted the scars of the insurgency on his administration, particularly the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls.
“One of the major scars on my government, and it will remain on my face, as Bishop Kukah said, no plastic or cosmetic surgeon can remove it, is the issue of the Chibok girls,” Jonathan said. “It is a scar I will die with.”
Reflecting on the insurgency, Jonathan disclosed that his administration established several committees to explore peace talks. During one such effort, he claimed, Boko Haram nominated then opposition leader Buhari to represent them in negotiations with the federal government.
He noted, “One of the committees we set up then, Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with government. So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and have a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it is still there till today.”
Jonathan argued that the insurgency’s persistence during and after Buhari’s presidency demonstrated the complexity of the crisis, beyond what was often portrayed. He urged a carrot-and-stick approach, pointing out that Boko Haram’s sophisticated weapons showed the involvement of external forces.
“The issue of Boko Haram is far more complex than it is often presented. These are not hungry people. Look at the weapons they use, sometimes even more than our soldiers. Where are these guns coming from? External hands are involved,” Jonathan stressed.
However, Garba Shehu, Buhari’s former spokesman, strongly rejected Jonathan’s account, accusing him of distorting history.
In a statement titled “Boko Haram did not nominate Buhari as their mediator”, Shehu said: “Muhammed Yusuf or Abubakar Shekau, the deceased leaders of the Boko Haram terrorist group, never nominated Muhammadu Buhari for any such role. In fact, Shekau routinely denounced and threatened Buhari, and their ideologies were in direct opposition.”
Shehu recalled that Buhari narrowly escaped a 2014 Boko Haram bomb attack in Kaduna which left his aides injured. He explained that the confusion originated from a 2012 press conference in Maiduguri, where a faction led by Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz listed Buhari and other northern leaders as potential mediators.
“Abdulaziz was roundly condemned by Boko Haram leaders, who said he had no mandate of Imam Abubakar Shekau,” Shehu clarified.
The former aide further argued that Jonathan’s remarks could be linked to a political comeback ahead of 2027.
“To be president in 2027, Goodluck Jonathan should look for another story to tell Nigerians. He is making a false start,” Shehu said.
He cited a statement from the then Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2012, in which Buhari, through party secretary Buba Galadima, denied any knowledge of being nominated by Boko Haram.
“Shehu added that Buhari’s campaigns consistently focused on fighting Boko Haram and restoring security, putting him in direct confrontation with the terrorists, not as a mediator,” the statement read.
Jonathan, however, insisted that Nigeria must rethink its strategy against insurgency. He maintained that despite his administration’s efforts, and Buhari’s later attempts, Boko Haram remains a stubborn challenge that requires unconventional solutions.
“I believe, as a nation, we have to look at the Boko Haram issue differently from the conventional approach. I believe one day we’ll overcome it,” Jonathan said.
