Atiku Reveals Shocking Secrets: How Boko Haram Was Stopped Back In 2002

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has held President Bola Tinubu’s administration responsible for the renewed wave of Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria’s North-East region.

This follows a deadly assault last week by Boko Haram insurgents on military bases in Borno State, where several soldiers were killed and weapons were stolen.

During a visit by a delegation from the Kogi East Senatorial Zone—led by former Kogi State Deputy Governor Simon Achuba—Atiku, speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, attributed the resurgence of the terrorist group to a lack of political will by the current government.

Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recounted that Boko Haram first emerged in Yobe State in 2002 while he served as Vice President. He revealed that then-President Olusegun Obasanjo had summoned him to discuss how to address the growing threat.

He recalled that they immediately summoned the service chiefs, issued a firm ultimatum to eliminate the group, and warned that failure to do so would result in their dismissal. According to Atiku, the military swiftly dealt with the threat within weeks, and the insurgency remained subdued until their administration ended.

“At the time, President Obasanjo asked me, ‘What do we do about this group that’s emerging in Yobe?’ I suggested we summon the Service Chiefs and issue a firm directive—end the insurgency or resign. That’s what we did. And in just a few weeks, Boko Haram was crushed. It didn’t resurface until after we left office,” he said.

Condemning the current administration’s handling of the crisis, Atiku added: “When citizens are being slaughtered, how can any leader sleep easy? The fact that such killings continue without urgent and decisive action reflects the height of irresponsibility from any political leadership.”