A fresh political clash has erupted between former presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari after Jonathan claimed that Boko Haram once nominated Buhari to negotiate with the Federal Government during his tenure.
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The claim was made in Abuja at the public launch of Scars, a book written by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.). Jonathan said his administration had formed several committees to explore dialogue with Boko Haram, and at one point, the insurgents allegedly picked Buhari to lead their negotiation team. He added that he had expected Buhari to end the insurgency after taking office in 2015 but that the crisis had persisted.
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Garba Shehu, who served as Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, swiftly refuted the statement, describing it as false and misleading. He said Boko Haram never nominated Buhari for any peace talks and reminded Nigerians that the group had actually targeted the former president for assassination. Shehu cited the 2014 Kaduna bombing that nearly claimed Buhari’s life as proof that the insurgents viewed him as an enemy.
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LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
He also referred to an earlier denial issued by the defunct Congress for Progressive Change in 2012 after a Boko Haram faction mentioned Buhari as a possible mediator. At the time, Buhari’s spokesman Buba Galadima publicly dismissed the claim, calling it politically motivated. Shehu accused Jonathan of reviving an old falsehood and suggested that it might be part of a plan ahead of a possible 2027 political comeback.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the book presentation, used the event to raise concern about the longevity of the Boko Haram crisis. He said Nigeria had faced several violent conflicts in the past, including the civil war, but warned that Boko Haram was becoming a disturbing part of daily life after 15 years of bloodshed. Obasanjo recalled visiting Maiduguri in 2011 after the UN office bombing, where he discovered that the insurgents were driven more by poverty and frustration than by political or religious goals. He urged the government to tackle the problem from its roots rather than through military force alone.
President Bola Tinubu, represented at the event, reaffirmed his administration’s determination to end insecurity in the country. He said the Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on modernising the military, improving intelligence gathering, and deepening regional cooperation. Tinubu also noted that lasting peace requires community participation, stressing that Nigerians must work together to rebuild stability and unity across the nation.
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