Former President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted that the 2014 abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents will remain an unforgettable scar on his life and legacy.
Jonathan made the remark on Friday at the public presentation of “SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum”, a memoir authored by retired Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.
Praising Irabor as “a soldier who stood for truth and never played politics with security,” Jonathan reflected on the painful memories of the Chibok tragedy. “The title of this book is quite interesting. One of the major scars on my government is the Chibok Girls. As Bishop Kukah said, no plastic or cosmetic surgeon can remove it. It is a scar I will die with,” he said.
The incident triggered global outrage, leading to the #BringBackOurGirls campaign that drew international voices including Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai, and world leaders. While some of the abducted girls managed to escape or were released through negotiations, more than 80 remain missing to date, over a decade later.
Reflecting further, Jonathan noted that Boko Haram’s insurgency predated his presidency, beginning in 2009 when he served as Vice President under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. “I battled Boko Haram for five years as President,” he recalled. “I thought Buhari would wipe them out quickly, but they remain.”
He emphasized that the Boko Haram crisis is “far more complex than many assume,” urging the government to rethink its security strategy to end terrorism in Nigeria.
The memoir by General Irabor highlights Nigeria’s long struggle against Boko Haram, drawing from his first-hand experience as a military chief during some of the nation’s most turbulent years.