Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has attributed the Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges in Nigeria to poor governance.
Speaking in Ibadan on Wednesday at the 2025 World Interfaith Harmony Week conference and awards, themed “The Love of the Good, and the Love of Neighbors,” Dogara emphasized the need for leadership to address the ongoing crises.
The event was attended by prominent figures, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Ogun State Governor Senator Gbenga Daniel, the Sultan of Sokoto (represented by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, President of MUSWEN), President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Daniel Okoh, former CAN President Reverend Supo Ayokunle, MUSWEN Executive Secretary Professor Muslih Tayo Yahaya, and Dr. Yemi Farounbi.
Represented by Timothy Golu, Dogara noted that Nigeria has faced multiple crises since gaining independence, the most severe being the civil war from 1966 to 1970. However, he lamented that little had been learned from that conflict.
He highlighted that Boko Haram, which emerged in Borno State in 2009, has evolved into one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations, causing thousands of deaths and displacing over five million people.
Dogara warned that unless leaders take decisive action, the country’s security situation could deteriorate further.
He cited a global conflict ranking as of December 12, 2024, in which Nigeria was listed as the sixth most affected country, alongside Palestine, Myanmar, Syria, Mexico, Brazil, Lebanon, Sudan, Cameroon, and Colombia.
He also pointed to the rise of separatist movements, including the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the Niger Delta Frontier Force, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), as indicators of deep-seated national issues.
Dogara further noted that insecurity in Nigeria has worsened in the democratic era, with mass kidnappings for ransom, banditry, armed robbery, ethnic and religious conflicts, and farmer-herder crises continuing unabated.
He argued that the failure of successive administrations since 1999 to effectively address these issues has exacerbated the crisis.
According to him, leadership failure and a lack of accountability have hindered progress, stating, “No society throughout history has ever risen above the level of its leadership.”
Dogara stressed that overcoming violence and insecurity requires collective effort and responsible leadership. He urged Nigerians to take ownership of the country’s future, stating that peace, development, and progress can only be achieved through conscious effort and decisive action.