Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused Nigerian presidents who succeeded Olusegun Obasanjo of failing to effectively combat the Boko Haram insurgency, allowing the terrorist group to gain strength across the country.

Speaking during a meeting with stakeholders from Kogi East Senatorial District, Atiku recounted how the Obasanjo administration, in which he served as vice president from 1999 to 2007, had successfully contained the initial emergence of Boko Haram in 2002.

"You remember when the Boko Haram started in Yobe? It was actually in 2002," Atiku stated in a video shared on his official Facebook page. "The president sent for me."

According to Atiku, he and then-President Obasanjo summoned the Service Chiefs and gave them a strict deadline to eliminate the threat. He claimed their decisive action resulted in the militants being neutralized "within a few weeks," and that Boko Haram did not resurface during their tenure.

The former PDP presidential flagbearer leveled serious accusations against subsequent administrations, suggesting they lacked the political will to address the insurgency effectively after it reemerged following the Obasanjo-Atiku administration.

"They're killing your citizens and you don't give a damn," Atiku said, describing what he called "the greatest irresponsibility by any political leader, anywhere."

Boko Haram has been responsible for thousands of deaths and displacements in Nigeria's northeast since its resurgence, particularly from 2009 onwards. The terrorist group has continued to pose a significant security challenge for successive Nigerian governments.

Atiku's comments come amid ongoing debates about the effectiveness of Nigeria's counter-terrorism strategies and as the country continues to grapple with security challenges in various regions.

The former vice president has remained active in Nigerian politics, having contested for the presidency multiple times, most recently in the 2023 general elections.