Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has strongly refuted claims by ex-presidential aide Garba Shehu on government negotiations with Boko Haram, alleging instead that the insurgents themselves once nominated former President Muhammadu Buhari as their preferred negotiator.
Dalung, who served in Buhari’s first cabinet, said Shehu’s recent account distorted history and attempted to absolve government failures in addressing insecurity. Speaking in an interview, Dalung insisted that at the height of Boko Haram’s violence, the group indicated willingness to negotiate only if Buhari, then an opposition figure, acted as mediator.
He accused Shehu of rewriting narratives to defend the administration’s legacy, stressing that the truth was necessary for Nigerians to learn from past missteps. His comments have reignited debate about the handling of Boko Haram, particularly amid persistent insecurity across the country.
