Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed deep concern that the Boko Haram insurgency has persisted for 15 years with no end in sight, noting that this conflict has now lasted far longer than the Nigerian Civil War, which concluded after 30 months.

Obasanjo warned that Nigeria’s continuous struggle with insurgency and banditry will not cease unless the military undergoes specialised foreign training, drastically strengthens intelligence gathering, and deploys modern technology in its operations.

He made the remarks on Sunday while speaking virtually on the Toyin Falola Interviews, which also featured Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and former Central Bank Deputy Governor, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, as panellists.Nigerian Event Listings

Speaking, Obasanjo argued that Nigeria’s security forces remain primarily trained for “conventional warfare” rather than the asymmetric, guerrilla-style conflicts currently confronting the country. He outlined four essential requirements for tackling the insurgency effectively.

The first is specialized training. He explained that the military is typically trained for conventional war against static enemies, but for fleeting targets or enemies living among the populace, a different type of training is necessary

He suggested inviting countries like Colombia, which has handled such conflicts successfully, to train Nigerian personnel, stating there is “no shame in that.” The second item is equipment, noting that the arms, ammunition, and gear needed to fight this type of warfare are different from those used in conventional conflict.

The third requirement is absolute intelligence, which raises the question of whether other nations can trust Nigeria enough to share their intelligence. The fourth is technology