“βoκo Hαгαm Is More Complex Than What Many People Imagine. At Some Point, Their Fוghters Had More Ammunition Than Our Soldiers, Which Clearly Showed That External Groups Were Deeply Involved” — Goodluck Jonathan Says
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the Boko Haram insurgency remains one of the most complex and enduring security challenges in Nigeria’s history, warning that military action alone cannot end the crisis.
Jonathan stated this on Thursday, October 2, 2025 in Abuja at the public presentation of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd).
He said that unlike previous crises in Nigeria such as the Niger Delta militancy and ethno-religious violence, the Boko Haram insurgency carried deeper scars because of its external connections, extremist ideology, and advanced weaponry.
“Boko Haram is more complex than what many people imagine. At some point, their fighters had more ammunition than our soldiers, which clearly showed that external groups were deeply involved,” Jonathan said.
The former President noted that the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014 remained one of the most painful scars of his administration, stressing that no form of cosmetic remedy could erase it from the nation’s collective memory.
He recalled his personal engagement with Niger Delta militants as Vice President, saying that his decision to personally visit their camps without armed escorts was borne out of the conviction that dialogue must complement military action.
“In the Niger Delta, I met the militants in their camps. We succeeded in restoring peace not only because of military action but because we engaged them, listened to them, and created opportunities for their communities. That approach worked,” he said.
