FORMER President, Goodluck Jonathan has admitted that the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014 remains an “eternal scar” on his government and personal life.
News Point Nigeria reports that Jonathan made the remark on Friday during the public presentation of “SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum”, a memoir written by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (rtd), in Abuja.
The ex-president hailed Irabor as “a soldier who stood for truth and never played politics with national security.”
Reflecting on his presidency, Jonathan said the kidnap of 276 schoolgirls from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram terrorists would forever haunt him.
“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,” Jonathan confessed.
The 2014 abduction triggered global outrage and birthed the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, with world leaders, celebrities, and civil society groups demanding urgent action. While more than 180 of the girls have since been freed or escaped, over 80 remain unaccounted for.
Jonathan recounted that Boko Haram’s insurgency began in 2009 during the presidency of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, when he served as Vice President. He said the sect expanded its operations after he assumed office as President, forcing his administration into an unending battle.
“I battled Boko Haram for five years as President. I thought Buhari would wipe them out quickly, but they remain. The insurgency is far more complex than many assume,” he said.
He also questioned the endurance of the conflict despite Nigeria’s military campaigns and international support, suggesting that external sponsors may be arming and sustaining the group.
“Sometimes, Boko Haram even had more sophisticated weapons than our soldiers. That does not reflect the actions of hungry villagers. External hands are clearly involved,” Jonathan added.
Jonathan emphasised the need for a new approach, proposing a “carrot and stick” strategy that combines military force with dialogue to tackle the insurgency.
The former President came under intense criticism at the time of the abduction for what many saw as slow response, weak coordination, and politicisation of the tragedy.
But he defended his initial silence, arguing that it was meant to protect intelligence-gathering and sensitive operations.
Over a decade later, the scars remain. Some of the freed girls live with trauma, stigma, or children born in captivity, while families of those still missing continue to wait for closure.
The Federal Government maintains that rescuing the remaining Chibok girls, alongside Leah Sharibu, is still a “national priority.”
