How Obasanjo dismantled Boko Haram in 1 week - Atiku

Atiku made the remarks in Abuja during a meeting with a delegation from Kogi State, where he recounted how the terrorist group first emerged in Yobe State in 2002 while he and Obasanjo were in office.

"You remember when Boko Haram started in Yobe? It was actually in 2002. We were in office. The president sent for me and said, ‘VP, what do we do about this?’” Atiku recalled.

According to the former vice president, he advised Obasanjo to confront the military chiefs with a firm ultimatum.

“I said, Mr President, let’s call the Service Chiefs and give them a deadline. If they can’t put it down, then they should put down their uniforms,” Atiku said.

He stated that Obasanjo immediately summoned the chiefs and gave them marching orders.

“Within a few weeks, they put down the insurgency in Yobe,” he added.

Atiku claimed that Boko Haram ceased all activities until the end of their administration, attributing the success to the political will demonstrated by the Obasanjo-led government.

“It never came up again until we left office. There is a lack of political will on our leaders,” Atiku noted.

Expressing frustration with the ongoing insecurity in parts of Nigeria, Atiku condemned the apparent indifference of some leaders to civilian deaths.

“How you can even eat when they are killing your citizens and you don’t give a damn is the greatest irresponsibility by any political leader anywhere,” he said.

The remarks come amid ongoing debates about the Nigerian government's response to insecurity and the legacy of past administrations in tackling terrorism.