Former President Goodluck Jonathan has refuted claims that he accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of having ties with Boko Haram, saying his remarks were taken out of context.
In a statement released on Saturday by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan clarified that he neither alleged nor implied that Buhari supported or was connected to the terrorist group in any form. The clarification followed reactions to his comments at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (rtd).
At the event, Jonathan had recalled that during his administration, Boko Haram once named Buhari among individuals they wanted to represent them in peace talks. However, he explained that this was part of the group’s manipulative tactics and not an indication of Buhari’s involvement.
Eze, in the statement, said Jonathan’s remarks were meant to expose Boko Haram’s deceit, noting that in the early days of the insurgency, the group frequently invoked the names of respected figures to confuse the public and divide the nation.
He added that Jonathan only questioned the logic behind the terrorists’ supposed nomination of Buhari, saying if they truly saw him as an ally, their violent campaign should have ended when he became president.
“The former President’s words were misrepresented. At no time did he accuse Buhari of colluding with Boko Haram,” Eze stated. “Both leaders, during their respective administrations, fought against terrorism and shared a mutual goal of restoring peace to Nigeria.”
Eze urged the public to disregard misleading reports, emphasizing that Jonathan remains focused on promoting peace, unity, and democracy across the country.
