Trending 
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram and banditry will continue unless the military adopts modern strategies, including specialised foreign training, improved intelligence, and advanced technology.
Speaking on Sunday during the Toyin Falola Interviews alongside Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and former CBN Deputy Governor Dr Kingsley Moghalu, Obasanjo stressed that the country’s security forces remain primarily prepared for conventional warfare, which is ineffective against guerrilla-style insurgents.
“There are four important items,” he said. “First is training—different from conventional warfare, suited to fleeting targets or insurgents living among civilians.
Second is equipment tailored for this type of conflict. Third is absolute intelligence, and fourth is technology. These must come together.”
Obasanjo noted that Boko Haram has plagued Nigeria for nearly 15 years, far longer than the 30-month civil war.
Recalling his 2011 visit to Maiduguri, he said he aimed to understand Boko Haram’s structure, leadership, and grievances.
He described the group as organised and initially unwilling to engage the government.
He detailed efforts to mediate, including offering a 21-day ceasefire while the Nigerian government sought dialogue, but claimed the authorities failed to follow through.
Obasanjo suggested countries such as Colombia could provide training in asymmetric warfare, emphasising that there is no shame in seeking specialised expertise to tackle insurgency effectively.
The former military ruler concluded that Nigeria must modernise its approach to counterinsurgency, combining training, intelligence, equipment, and technology, to end the prolonged conflict.
