Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed reports claiming he accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of having ties with the Boko Haram terrorist group, saying his comments were “grossly misrepresented.”
In a statement issued on Saturday by his media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan said he neither suggested nor implied that Buhari had any connection with Boko Haram or supported its activities in any way.
Jonathan clarified that his remarks at the public presentation of “Scars”, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor (Rtd), were taken out of context.
At the event on Friday, Jonathan had recalled that during his administration’s effort to initiate dialogue with Boko Haram, the insurgents once listed Buhari as a possible mediator — a claim that, according to him, was part of the group’s deceptive tactics at the time.
However, Garba Shehu, former spokesperson to Buhari, described Jonathan’s comments as “false and politically motivated.”
Misrepresented Comments
Eze explained that Jonathan’s remarks were part of a broader discussion on Nigeria’s security challenges and were aimed at highlighting the manipulative strategies used by Boko Haram in its early years.
“The attention of the Office of Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been drawn to misleading reports suggesting that Dr Jonathan accused Boko Haram of nominating President Buhari to represent them in talks with the Federal Government,” the statement read.
“We wish to make it clear that the former president’s comments were grossly misrepresented. At no time did Dr Jonathan suggest or imply that President Buhari had any link with Boko Haram or supported it in any way.”
Eze said Jonathan’s reference was to a documented incident when several individuals and groups falsely claimed to represent Boko Haram and named prominent Nigerians as mediators without their consent.
According to him, Jonathan’s intention was to show how the insurgents used the names of respected figures to create confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.
“The former president’s position was that if indeed Buhari was their nominated negotiator, why did Boko Haram not end their terrorist campaign when he became president?” the statement added.
Jonathan, Eze said, acknowledged Buhari’s efforts in the fight against terrorism, noting that both leaders, during their respective tenures, shared a common commitment to restoring peace and stability in Nigeria.
