Boko Haram can be defeated by December – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday said that  the December deadline given to the military by President Mohammadu Buhari to defeat the militant Islamist group, Boko Haram is realisable.

He said the country does not have to wait until the last of the terrorist was killed before declaring victory.

According to him, evidence of victory comes immediately the military had exerted its authority over the terrorists.

Obasanjo was speaking to State House Correspondents on Monday after submitting the report of a study on how Nigeria could win the war against Boko Haram.

He said the horrendous situation in the northeast compelled his team to embark on a mission to Columbia to study the country’s strategy, efforts and experience in its 50-year battle against the FARC rebels.

He said: “Let me just let you know that I have come to see the President for two reasons. The first one is the one you have just seen. I brought a delegation of those of us who visited Columbia last year under the auspices of a foundation which I am the chairman.

“We went to Columbia to see how all the Columbian authorities were handling the issue of insurgency which had been with them for more than 50 years.

“As a result of that visit and the experience we had, a book was produced and I said to them that it will be interesting for us in Nigeria to learn as much as we can learn from the experience of Columbia.

“The specific thing is that they have been fighting insurgency for 50 years. They celebrated their 50 years in existence in May last year, in fact, we went there in June.

“So, we want to see what has kept them going, what has kept insurgency going? What has made the government of Columbia to make three attempts to seek peace, to end the war and insurgency and they failed. What is the new efforts that they are making? How likely are those new efforts going to succeed?

“Oh yes. If we won the civil war, we can win this one. But like the Columbians said, we are not waiting until we kill off every insurgent to say we have won.

“I believe that once the military has the upper hand, other measures that have to be taken will be put in place.

“There will be measures of socio-economic development, education, employment. All that has to go into the process of eventually winning the war and saying, ‘here is Uhuru.’

“The president must give a target. When you give somebody a target, you give him something to aspire to, giving him an objective. Target is not cast in stone.

“I believe that if you are talking of getting the upper hand, gradually, we are getting the upper hand.

“We are not there yet but we are getting close. And once we are getting upper hand, we move on and do other things,” he said.