Speaking at a Christmas Carol in Jos, he said the federal government has failed to protect citizens, noting recent kidnappings of schoolchildren in Niger and Kebbi states, the livestreamed abduction of church worshippers in Kwara, and the killing of a brigadier general after an ISWAP ambush in Borno.

He also mentioned rising attacks in Zamfara, Sokoto and Yobe.

Obasanjo criticised the Tinubu administration for “apologising” and “negotiating” with terrorists instead of confronting them with force.

The former President said Nigerians “are being killed” and should be free to seek international intervention if their government cannot keep them safe.

The president recently declared a national security emergency and ordered the recruitment of more security personnel.

Source: Thecable

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Obasanjo disclosed this at the public presentation of Scars, Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor (retd.).

Obasanjo said, “Boko Haram is now virtually becoming part of our life. Should we accept that? If we should not accept it, what should we do?

“How much do we know? Even from the other side, and from this side, have we been active enough? Have we been proactive enough?

“I think we have to ask ourselves the necessary questions to be able to deal with this thing that is now becoming a monster within our country.”

The former president, who wrote the foreword to Irabor’s book, praised the ex-CDS for documenting his experiences in the fight against terrorism for posterity, describing the effort as an act of courage.

Other high-profile individuals present at the event were former President Goodluck Jonathan, service chiefs, former and serving governors, and clerics.

Read Also: Jonathan: Boko Haram Once Nominated Buhari for Peace Talks

Jonathan, while speaking at the occasion, disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated former President Muhammadu Buhari as their preferred negotiator in peace talks with his administration.

He said his government had explored multiple committees and approaches to end the insurgency, but the crisis proved more complex than often portrayed.

Source: Punch

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Obasanjo, in his newly released book, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’ alleged that corruption rose to the peak during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that Malami was a strong supporter of such practices.

Obasanjo further affirmed that during Buhari’s administration, two former governors—Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, who was serving a 10-year sentence for embezzling N1.126bn state funds, and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State—who was serving a 12-year sentence for embezzling N1.64bn. Fraud was granted presidential pardons.

The Council of State presided over by Buhari in April 2022, granted the duo pardons on the grounds of age and ill health.

Both governors were released from Kuje Correctional Facility in the Federal Capital Territory in August 2022, four months after their pardons.

Obasanjo, however, alleged that the pardons were possible owing to the corrupt advice of Malami, adding that it was later revealed that neither Dariye nor Nyame had life-threatening illnesses, as initially claimed.

Reacting to this, Malami dismissed the allegation in an exclusive interview with newsmen, explaining that the process of granting pardons was strictly regulated by law.

He said that his role as Attorney General was limited to presenting the committee’s report to the Council of State.

Malami criticized the growing trend of unsubstantiated corruption allegations against public officials, both locally and internationally, calling for detailed and evidence-based claims to ensure credibility.

The former Minister of Justice explained that for any allegation of corruption or bribery to hold weight, adequate details must be provided.

He added that allegations lacking adequate particulars remain baseless, mischievous, and devoid of actionable grounds for legal pursuit.

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In a statement, Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu challenged anyone with credible evidence to present contrary facts, describing any suggestion that the National Assembly fixes its salaries as uncharitable and satanic.

Adaramodu,  who represents Ekiti South Senatorial Distric,t in the 10th NASS said the red chamber only receives the salary allocated to it by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission ,RMAFC, in line with the constitution noting that no Senator has received any financial patronage from the Presidency.

The Lawmaker clarified that the constituency projects often linked to the legislature are merely suggested and nominated by Senators, following practices common in other democracies worldwide.

Recall, that Obasanjo, Nigeria’s democratically elected President from May 1999 to May 2007, said it was immoral for federal lawmakers to determine their salaries and allowances. Instead, he said, the RMAFC should be saddled with this responsibility.

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Obasanjo also warned that the country was sitting on a keg of gunpowder that could explode anytime if its leaders failed to take courageous and decisive steps to address its many challenges.

The former President gave this advice when he received six members of the House of Representatives at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

He described the demands of the #EndBadGovernance protesters as very legitimate, saying the government should meet them and stop acting as if all is well.

Obasanjo said that it would be wrong for those in government to continue enjoying themselves while telling the suffering masses to be patient.

The former President regretted that successive governments had not built on the foundation he laid while he was in power, saying this has caused significant setbacks for the country.

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Obasanjo made the statement during an interview with the Financial Times.The elder statesman’s stance comes following ongoing #Endbadgovernance nationwide protests by the youths over hunger and hardship in the country.Youths across the country have embarked on protests since August 1, a development which has since escalated with reports and incidences of violence and lootings recorded across the country.

Speaking further, Obasanjo said Nigeria’s economy would have been much better if it had not relied on just crude oil production. He described the country’s reliance on crude oil as a “deadly mistake”.the failure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ,NNPCL, the International Oil Companies, and other national oil companies to ramp up oil production to meet the country’s needs.

Obasanjo said Nigeria could have invested more in Agriculture as against crude oil.The former president then touched on the reason that Nigeria’s four refineries have remained moribund despite huge investments and attempts at revamping them.He recalled how he persuaded Shell to run the country’s refineries but the International Oil Company refused, saying there was too much corruption in the sector.  He condemned the government’s disposition towards getting the refineries back on their feet.He said that those benefiting from the lucrative business of fuel importation are going to make efforts to frustrate the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.Obasanjo stated this in the wake of allegations by the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, that some ‘mafias’ were making efforts to frustrate the $20bn refinery.

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