Nigeria is winning against Boko Haram, says Obasanjo ---Guardian

Shettima blames Jonathan for delayed rescue of Chibok girls

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said the Nigerian nation is winning the war against Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed many lives and property in the North-East sub-region of the country.

He said that the military and other security agencies were on the ascendancy over the forces of destruction, menace and dangers of terrorism and insurgency that has lasted for over six years in the country.

Obasanjo spoke yesterday when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State at the Government House,
Maiduguri. He said: “There is no doubt that with the combined efforts at the local, state and federal levels; and even at the community level, our security forces are on the ascendancy over the forces of destruction, the menace and dangers of Boko Haram insurgency that we have experienced for almost six years now.”

He lamented that “There is no family in this state that has not suffered loss,” asking the governor to accept his condolences and those of his entire family “in these difficult times of grief and trauma.”

He said Shettima and the entire people of the state had “shown what can be done if people resolve not to give way to evil and we must pray for the repose of the souls of those that have lost their lives during the six-year insurgency and terrorism.”

While praising the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in tackling insurgency and terrorism, Obasanjo said: “Talking to the president about the issue of insurgency in particular and insecurity in general, I know that he is very concerned and not only concerned, he has got it right.

Today, now I think we are not out of the woods yet but it would appear that we can see the light beyond the tunnel. There is no
family in this state that has not suffered loss.’ ’

He said that once the retrieved territories were cleared of mines, then the massive socio-economic rehabilitation and development of the whole areas that have been devastated would take place.

Responding, Shettima paid glowing tribute to the leadership qualities of the former president, insisting that the Boko Haram
crisis would not have so badly degenerated if he were at the helm during the outbreak of the insurgency.

He added that had Obasanjo been in power the Chibok schoolgirls would not have been in captivity till now even as he lamented that it took President Goodluck Jonathan 19 days after the kidnap of the girls to call him on phone on the issue.

He said testimonies of former governors showed that the former president was on top of security issues in all the states of the country and at various times averted what could have been major security breaches.

He said: “Without the Nigerianness in you, this country would have been divided along religious lines between 2001 and 2003 when hate brewed from the north to the south over our diversity of faith.

Your Excellency, Sir, the majority of Nigerians salute you; we adore and respect you and we shall forever be grateful to you for standing for the unity, continued existence and the recovery of Nigeria when
Nigerians needed you most.”