Atiku says Boko Haram terrorists started as political thugs

Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has announced that hell take a multifaceted approach towards dealing with terrorist group, Boko Haram.

During an interview with The Africa Report, published on Wednesday, the former vice president said he'll deal with the terrorist group through negotiations and military action.

He also disclosed that the group came into being after politicians used them for political thuggery to win elections before abandoning them.

"I happen to know how Boko Haram came into being. They were offshoots of political thuggery. Politicians used those boys in Boko Haram to win elections and then abandoned them and then there were no jobs for them.

"It was the same thing with the Niger Delta. In 1998, I saw it myself and I warned people," he said.

Since the terrorist group's insurgency escalated in 2009, tens of thousands of people have been killed with millions also displaced and scattered in internally displaced people's camps across the country.

How I'll fight corruption - Atiku

When questioned on how he'll fight corruption if elected president, Atiku said punitive measures will not be enough to deter perpetrators of corrupt practices.

He said, "One way of trying to reduce corruption to the barest minimum is also to introduce e-governance. If you are applying for a permit, if you are applying for a passport, why not apply online? Why can't we also employ preventive measures to stop corruption?"

"If we have evidence against you we arrest you and prosecute you, and take away the money," he added.

2019 presidential election

While next year's election, scheduled for February 16, 2019, is expected to be keenly-contested between Atiku and President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, they both face competition from other candidates including Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Obiageli Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).

Others are Tope Fasua of the Abundance Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Eunice Atuejide of the National Interest Party (NIP), Olusegun Mimiko of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Adesina Fagbenro-Byron of the Kowa Party (KP), Chike Ukaegbu of the Advanced Allied Party (AAP), Hamza Al-Mustapha of the People's Party of Nigeria (PPN), Obadiah Mailafia of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and many more.