LAGOS, Nigeria – Former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has claimed that the founders of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, were driven into insurgency by poverty and unemployment.
He also voiced concern that the 20 million out-of-school children in Nigeria could potentially breed more “Boko Haram members of the future”.
Obasanjo made these statements on Friday, June 16, 2023, while speaking at the launch of a book, ‘Pillars of Statecraft: Nation-building in a changing world’, authored by his daughter, Dr Kofo Obasanjo-Blackshire, in Lagos.
Recalling his interaction with the group in its early days after its founder was reportedly killed, Obasanjo said, “I said I wanted to meet with the members of the group to talk to them and know what they wanted.
I met with their representatives and found out that they needed nothing but a better life for themselves.
Can we blame them for wanting a better life for themselves?”
The former president also addressed the group’s belief in Sharia Law.
“They said they believed in Sharia Law. I told them that Sharia was not a problem in Nigeria. It is part of our constitution,” Obasanjo said.
Obasanjo’s statements underscore the socio-economic factors that contribute to insurgency and highlight the importance of addressing such issues to prevent the emergence of future extremist groups.
