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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed reports alleging that he accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of having ties with Boko Haram, insisting that his remarks were misrepresented.
In a statement released on Saturday by his media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan clarified that he neither suggested nor implied that Buhari had any association with the terrorist group or offered it support.
During the launch of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff Lucky Irabor, Jonathan recalled that Boko Haram had once nominated Buhari to represent them in negotiations with the federal government. He explained that the insurgents mentioned Buhari’s name after his administration established committees to pursue dialogue with the group.
However, Garba Shehu, Buhari’s former spokesperson, dismissed Jonathan’s account as “false and politically motivated.”
Eze stressed that Jonathan’s comments were part of a broader reflection on Nigeria’s security challenges and aimed to show the deceptive strategies Boko Haram used in its early operations.
“The Office of Former President Goodluck Jonathan notes misleading media reports claiming he said Boko Haram nominated Buhari to represent them, making him complicit in the insurgency,” the statement read.
“We wish to state clearly that Jonathan’s comments were grossly distorted. At no point did he suggest, imply, or insinuate that President Buhari had any links with Boko Haram or supported them in any way.
“His remarks, made within the context of a wider discussion on national security, illustrated the manipulative tactics the group used in its early years. Jonathan referred to a documented incident where various individuals and factions falsely claimed to represent Boko Haram and named prominent Nigerians as potential mediators without their consent.
“The point he sought to make was that Boko Haram, in its characteristic deceit, often invoked the names of respected figures to create confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.”
Jonathan added that if Buhari had truly been the group’s preferred negotiator, they should have ended their violent campaign when he became president.
He emphasised that Buhari, like all patriotic Nigerians, strongly opposed terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram attacks. Both leaders, he said, were united in their commitment to restoring peace and stability during their administrations.
Eze urged Nigerians to disregard misinterpretations of Jonathan’s comments, reaffirming the former president’s dedication to peace, national unity, and democratic values.
