Former President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified that he never accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of having ties to Boko Haram, insisting that his remarks were misrepresented by the media.
In a statement released on Saturday by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan said he never suggested, implied, or hinted that Buhari supported or had any connection to the terrorist group.
The clarification follows Jonathan’s comments on Friday at the launch of Scars, a book by former Chief of Defence Staff Lucky Irabor. Jonathan had recalled that Boko Haram once named Buhari among individuals they wanted to represent them in peace talks with the government.
Jonathan, who led Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, explained that the insurgents’ mention of Buhari came after his administration had set up committees to engage in dialogue with the group.
Former presidential spokesman Garba Shehu described the account as “false and politically motivated.”
Eze emphasized that Jonathan’s remarks were intended to illustrate Boko Haram’s deceptive tactics, not to implicate Buhari. The statement said: “Boko Haram, in its characteristic deceit, often invoked the names of respected public figures without their knowledge to create confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.
“The former president’s comments were meant to highlight the group’s duplicity, not accuse the late president or any individual. Dr Jonathan also noted that if Buhari had truly been their choice for negotiation, Boko Haram’s attacks would have ended when he became president.
“Dr Jonathan recognises that President Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, opposed terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram attacks. Both leaders shared a commitment to restoring peace and stability in Nigeria.”
Eze urged Nigerians to disregard the distorted reports and reiterated that Jonathan remains committed to peace, unity, and the consolidation of democracy in the country.
