The Federal Government has pushed back strongly against recent comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Nigeria’s worsening security situation, accusing him of presiding over the early stages of the Boko Haram insurgency.
The rebuttal came from Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, following Obasanjo’s remarks at a public event in Jos on Friday. The former president had criticised the current administration over rising insecurity, insisting that the government had failed in its primary duty to protect lives and property.
Obasanjo also suggested that Nigerians were justified in seeking international intervention if the persistent killings across the country continued, warning that many communities had been left exposed to violent attacks.
In a swift response issued on Sunday, Dare faulted the former leader’s comments, describing them as harmful to ongoing counter-terrorism efforts. In a statement titled “Between Tinubu’s Capability and the Ignobility of Pseudo Statesmanship,” Dare accused Obasanjo and other political figures of making remarks that weaken national morale and security operations.
He argued that calling for external intervention amounted to capitulation and ignored the complex security challenges confronting the country. Dare further claimed that Boko Haram’s ideological roots and early organisational build-up occurred during Obasanjo’s time in office.
According to him, the group initially operated openly, establishing camps and recruiting followers without decisive government action. He said the failure to decisively disrupt the movement at that early stage allowed it to grow into a full-blown insurgency and an international terror network.
Dare described it as ironic and irresponsible for a former leader, under whose watch the sect allegedly gained footing, to now lecture the nation on security management.
Defending President Tinubu’s approach, the presidential aide maintained that the current administration is intensifying efforts against terrorism through coordinated military operations, improved intelligence gathering, community engagement, and deradicalisation programmes.
He warned that public statements that cast doubt on the government’s capacity could embolden criminal and extremist groups.
“When former leaders question the nation’s resolve, they risk giving psychological advantages to terrorists,” Dare said, urging critics to support ongoing security initiatives rather than weaken them.
He reaffirmed that President Tinubu remains committed to restoring security across the country through a coordinated, multi-agency strategy.
“The government will not be distracted by attempts to rewrite history,” Dare added, insisting that past security lapses must be acknowledged alongside present efforts to confront Nigeria’s security challenges.
