Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has accused governments of strengthening Boko Haram through payment of ransoms to free victims.
Obasanjo made the allegation on Saturday at the second session of the seventh Synod of the Anglican Communion, Oleh Diocese, in Isoko South LGA of Delta State.
He also accused governments of neglect when it should have dealt decisively with the assailants.
“Every issue of insecurity must be taken seriously at all levels and addressed at once without favouritism or cuddling,” he said, “both Boko Haram and herdsmen acts of violence were not treated as they should at the beginning.”
Obasanjo said the killer groups have “incubated and developed beyond what Nigeria can handle alone. They are now combined and internationalised with ISIS in control.”
The former President also said that Boko Haram became more deadly after they became an ‘industry’ for receiving outdated ammunition.
“We could have dealt with both earlier and nip them in the bud, but Boko Haram boys were seen as rascals not requiring any serious attention in administering holistic measures of stick and carrot.
“And when we woke up to the reality, it was turned to industry for all and sundry to supply materials and equipment that were already outdated and that were not fit for active military purpose.
“Soldiers were poorly trained for the unusual mission, poorly equipped, poorly motivated, poorly led and made to engage in propaganda rather than achieving results. Intelligence was poor and governments embarked on games of denials while paying ransoms which strengthened the insurgents and yet governments denied payment of ransoms.
“Today, the security issue has gone beyond the wit and capacity of Nigerian government or even West African governments,” he said.
