Obasanjo claimed he took it upon himself in 2011 to go on a fact-finding mission when Boko Haram insurgency became uncontrollable.
He said he met people, especially families who knew members of these deadly sect.
“I wanted to find out if it was an organisation which has aims and objectives and if they have foreign backing,” he said.
Obasanjo said that Boko Haram has leaders, adding that there was somebody who acted as a lawyer to the sect.
“The lawyer, who was acting in proxy told me: ‘Mr President if you want to meet their leaders give me three hours. I will gather their leaders, not in Nigeria but outside Nigeria. Obviously, they have leaders,” Obasanjo said.
The former military president proposed a tactics for fighting Boko Harm - a tactics he called 'carrot and stick approach'. When asked if carrot and stick approach would work in dealing with Boko Haram, he said:
“Well, if you had tried stick and stick alone and it has not worked, is there anything wrong to try something along with the stick?
"I doubt it very much if you will consider that as wrong because in your introductory statement on this programme, you made the point that no matter how well-meaning the President might have been with his assertion that he will be on top of Boko Haram, it has not been achieved."
According to Human Right activist Shehu Sani, Obasanjo has a list of the leaders of the sect.
Source: BBC
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