Former presidential media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has said he never held former President Goodluck Jonathan solely responsible for the Boko Haram insurgency that escalated during his administration. Ahmad stated that security is a collective responsibility that goes beyond government efforts and requires the active participation of citizens, communities, traditional institutions, and religious leaders.

In a post on X on Saturday, the former presidential aide stressed that while governments are expected to provide leadership, resources and strategic direction, the task of securing communities cannot be left to government alone. “Even at the height of the Boko Haram insurgency, I did not place the blame entirely on the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan because I have long believed that the responsibility of securing our communities does not rest on the shoulders of government alone,” Ahmad wrote. “Security is a shared responsibility that requires the active participation and commitment of every citizen,” he added. According to him, lasting peace and security can only be achieved when citizens work closely with security agencies and community leaders to prevent criminal activities. He noted that communities, traditional institutions, religious leaders, and individuals all have important roles to play in safeguarding lives and property. “Governments provide leadership and resources, but communities, traditional institutions, religious leaders and individuals all have vital roles to play,” he added.

Ahmad also urged Nigerians to support security agencies by providing credible and timely intelligence, stressing that criminals thrive when communities fail to cooperate with law enforcement authorities. “We must support our security agencies with credible information and refuse to provide safe havens for criminals,” he stated. “Only through a united effort and a shared sense of responsibility can we restore lasting peace and ensure a safer future for our communities and our nation,” he said.

READ ALSO:

• BREAKING: Police Rescue Adelabu’s Sister, Twin Sons in Ibadan
• How a Nigerian Man Bypassed TSA, Boarded United Flight Using Fake Boarding Pass
• Nigerian Man Jailed for Life for Stabbing Friend Over Debt in London

Ahmad’s statement on collective security responsibility follows a separate controversy that emerged after he attended a book launch event where Jonathan reportedly made remarks about Boko Haram and the late President Buhari. On Friday, at the public presentation of ‘Scars’, a book written by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (rtd.), Jonathan reportedly disclosed that during his administration, Boko Haram once nominated the late President Muhammadu Buhari to represent them in negotiations with the federal government. Ahmad, who was present at the event, confirmed this on X, writing: “Earlier today, I was at the book launch of former Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor (Rtd), where former President Goodluck Jonathan disclosed during his remarks that in one of the committees his administration set up to explore dialogue, Boko Haram once nominated the later President Buhari to represent them in negotiations with the government.” This remark sparked widespread reactions, with Garba Shehu, former spokesperson to the late President Buhari, dismissing Jonathan’s claim as “false and politically motivated” and warning Jonathan not to play politics with the Boko Haram insurgency ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Following the backlash, Jonathan issued a swift clarification through his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Eze, stating that his comments were “grossly misrepresented.” The former president insisted that at no time did he suggest, imply, or insinuate that President Buhari had any connection with Boko Haram or that he supported the group in any form. According to Jonathan, his remarks were made in the course of a broader discussion on Nigeria’s security challenges and were meant to illustrate “the deviousness and manipulative strategies employed by Boko Haram in their early years.” He explained that his reference was to a well-documented episode when various individuals and factions falsely claimed to represent the terrorist group and purported to name prominent Nigerians as possible mediators, without those individuals’ knowledge or consent. “The point Dr Jonathan sought to make was that Boko Haram, in its characteristic deceit, often invoked the names of respected public figures to sow confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government. His comments were therefore an illustration of the group’s duplicity, not an accusation against the late former president or any individual, for that matter,” the statement read. Jonathan further posed a rhetorical question to underscore his point: “if indeed Buhari was their choice negotiator, why didn’t Boko Haram expeditiously bring their evil terrorist agenda to an end when the retired General became president?” He affirmed that the late President Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence.

READ ALSO:

• Troops Neutralise Bandits, Destroy Hideouts in Sokoto-Zamfara Border Operations
• Tobi Amusan Storms to Gold in Taiwan with New Meet Record
• Kwara: Nigerian Army Rescues Two Men After Escape from Kidnappers

Ahmad’s comments come amid renewed national conversations on insecurity and the responsibilities of political leaders, security agencies, and citizens in addressing terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes across the country. Security analysts have long argued that the Boko Haram insurgency, which began around the early 2000s, was enabled not only by government failures but also by community-level vulnerabilities. The failure of successive governments—especially the administrations of both Jonathan and Buhari—helped the group to significantly grow, spreading from Borno to other states in the North-east. Jonathan was president when Boko Haram staged a strong comeback after the 2009 clash with the police, and when more than 200 schoolgirls were seized by the group in Chibok, Borno State. Under Buhari’s leadership (2015–2023), Nigeria made significant gains against Boko Haram, reclaiming territories the group once controlled in the northeast. However, the insurgency evolved as Boko Haram split, with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) emerging as a stronger faction aligned with the Islamic State.

Observers have noted that the exchange between Jonathan’s camp and Buhari’s former aides carries political undertones, with the 2027 presidential election already shaping discourse. There are reports that Jonathan is warming up to join the presidential race in 2027. Although the former president has not confirmed this personally, a close ally told Vanguard that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will pitch Jonathan against President Bola Tinubu. The presidency has welcomed a possible Jonathan challenge, with presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga saying Nigerians won’t “forget his dismal record in office.” Meanwhile, Ahmad’s measured stance—acknowledging that Jonathan should not bear sole blame for Boko Haram while also documenting the military defeat of the group under Buhari—reflects the delicate political calculations as Nigeria looks ahead to the next election cycle. His comments, he insists, are not politically motivated but rooted in a long-held belief that security is everyone’s business. “Only through a united effort and a shared sense of responsibility, can we restore lasting peace and ensure a safer future for our communities and our nation,” Ahmad concluded.