Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asserted that former President Olusegun Obasanjo decisively curtailed Boko Haram’s activities when the group first surfaced, attributing the success to strong political will. Atiku made the remark on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting with stakeholders from Kogi East Senatorial District, led by former Kogi Deputy Governor Simon Achuba. In a video posted on his Facebook page, Atiku recalled that Boko Haram initially emerged in Yobe State in 2002, prompting President Obasanjo to consult him on the appropriate response. Atiku said, “You remember when the Boko Haram started in Yobe? It was actually in 2002. We were in office. The president sent for me. ‘VP, what do we do about this?’ Then I said, ‘Mr President, let’s call the Service Chiefs and give them a deadline. If they can’t put it down, then they should put down their uniform and go away. We will get some other people’.” He continued, “And he called the Service Chiefs, I was there, and gave them marching orders, and within a few weeks, they put down the insurgency in Yobe. It never came up again until we left office.” Atiku blamed the resurgence of Boko Haram and continued insecurity on the failure of successive governments to act decisively. “So, I will say there’s a lack of political will on the leaders. When they’re killing your citizens, how can you even eat? They’re killing your citizens and you don’t give a damn; that is the greatest irresponsibility by any political leader, anywhere. “So I hold our leadership responsible for all the insecurity that is going on all over the place,” he added.