The one time Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has given the assurance that Nigeria will win the war against Boko Haram just as the country defeated Biafra secessionist during the civil war.
Chief Obasanjo expressed optimism that the country would put an end to the insurgency.
He said this on Monday, October 12 after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on his delegation’s mission to study Columbia’s efforts in the fight against the country’s largest rebel group, FARC.
He said it was not until every Boko Haram fighter had died before the country could claim to have defeated the insurgency. Rather, Boko Haram could be considered defeated as soon as the army had the upper hand and other measures had been put in place.
Obasanjo said: “Oh yes. If we won the civil war, we can win this one. But like the Columbian said, we are not waiting until we kill off every insurgent to say we have won. I believe that once the military has the upper hand, other measures that have to be taken will be put in place. There will be measures of socio-economic development, education, employment. All that has to go into the process of eventually winning the war and saying here is Uhuru”.
“The president must give a target. When you give somebody a target, you give him something to aspire to, giving him an objective. Target is not cast in stone. I believe that if you are talking of getting the upper hand, gradually, we are getting the upper hand.
“We are not there yet, but we are getting close. And once we are getting upper hand, we move on and do other things.”