Boko Haram began under your watch, Tinubu’s aide fires Obasanjo

Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has criticised former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent comments on insecurity, saying Boko Haram started during Obasanjo’s government.

Dare, in a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday and titled “Between Tinubu’s Capability and the Ignobility of Pseudo Statesmanship,” accused Obasanjo and other critics of trying to weaken the public’s confidence in the current administration.

He said their comments ignore the fact that Nigeria is facing serious terrorist threats and claimed the criticism was not genuine statesmanship.

In recent weeks, Obasanjo, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other opposition figures have faulted the Federal Government’s handling of rising attacks across the country.

While speaking at an event in Jos on Friday, Obasanjo said insecurity was worsening and that Nigerians had the right to seek foreign help if the government could not protect them.

He said:
“No matter what religion you belong to. No matter where you come from. No matter your profession, we Nigerians are being killed, and our government seems to be incapable of protecting us.
“We are part of the world community. If our government cannot do it, we have the right to call on the international community to do for us what our government cannot do for us.”

Reacting, Dare called Obasanjo’s comments “hypocritical and ignoble,” saying they ignore the fact that Boko Haram started gaining ground during Obasanjo’s administration.

According to him, “The suggestion that Nigeria should effectively subcontract its internal security to foreign governments is not statesmanship; it is capitulation.”

He added that Obasanjo should first think about the actions he failed to take when the extremist group was still small and could have been stopped.

“It is historical fact that the ideological foundations and early cells of Boko Haram were incubated during Obasanjo’s civilian presidency,” he wrote.

Dare said the group later grew into a deadly insurgency that spread across borders, but the early warning signs were ignored.

He criticised Obasanjo for now issuing public lectures on insecurity, saying it was “reckless.”

Dare explained that President Tinubu is tackling terrorism through military action, intelligence operations, rebuilding affected communities, and counter-radicalisation efforts.

He warned that comments from former leaders could discourage Nigerians and even strengthen terrorists.

“If Obasanjo wishes to help, he should acknowledge the past failures that allowed terrorists to gain a foothold, and then support ongoing efforts,” he said.

Dare also urged Nigerians to support the government’s security plans.

He said President Tinubu remains committed to securing the entire country and will not be distracted by “selective amnesia wrapped in elder-statesmanship.”