Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sounded a grave alarm over the ongoing insurgency by Boko Haram, declaring that the fight has now dragged on longer than the country’s civil war — and describing the situation as symptomatic of systemic failures in Nigeria’s security architecture.
Obasanjo, speaking during a public interview, recalled that the civil war lasted just 30 months, but that Nigeria’s struggle with insurgency, banditry and related security threats has now lingered for “almost 15 years.”
He argued this drawn‑out crisis reveals there’s more at play than just conventional warfare — citing weaknesses in military strategy, lack of adequate training, insufficient intelligence and poor coordination across security institutions.
Obasanjo warned that until Nigeria revamps its security framework including procurement, proper training, modern equipment, intelligence‑sharing, and institutional reform the insurgency will persist, causing further loss of lives, displacement and national destabilization.
His remarks strike a chord at a time when many Nigerians are questioning the effectiveness of current security and counter‑terrorism strategies adding pressure for more fundamental and sustainable reforms rather than reactive measures.
