Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo said the reason why Boko Haram sect grew in strength was because the corrupt and incompetent government under Goodluck Jonathan failed to recognize the threat it posed.
Obasanjo blamed Jonathan for the continued captivity of the abducted Chibok girls.
The Former president said they would have been rescued if the government had acted fast enough.
Obasanjo made this statement during an interview with IBTimes UK while attending the Global Education Forum conference in Dubai. Obasanjo said
“The response of the government initially was definitely not enough. When Boko Haram started showing their fangs about four years ago the reaction should have been firm and unmistakable. We have lost ground,”
He also said “It has become a regional issue and we have to deal with it regionally,”When asked about the missing Chibok girls, the former president said
“The government did not believe that there had been an abduction for some time. If that had happened maybe the girls would have been rescued,”
Obasanjo said that there could only be dialogue with Boko Haram after they hadbeen severely pounded by military force.