Yakubu Gowon reignites controversy over Biafra war, blaming rebel forces while disputing casualty figures. Historians and leaders seek long-overdue closure
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ore than half a century after the end of the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, former military head of state Yakubu Gowon has stirred fresh controversy by blaming the conflict’s devastation on Igbo rebel soldiers.
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Speaking in an interview, the 90-year-old asserted that the suffering endured by civilians in the Eastern Region—particularly women and children—was largely due to the actions of the breakaway Biafran forces.
Mr Gowon also challenged widely cited estimates of war casualties, stating that the number of Igbo deaths “was not in millions.”
His remarks contradict many historical accounts that place the death toll at around three million, with many victims killed in direct assaults or starved during blockades.
The former ruler, who led Nigeria from 1966 to 1975, has previously played down the extent of the humanitarian toll the conflict inflicted.
Though poorly documented, the war remains one of the deadliest episodes in post-colonial Africa. Accounts by survivors and scholars describe widespread atrocities by federal troops, including mass killings in cities like Asaba, Enugu, and Onitsha.
Despite efforts at reconciliation, historians lament Nigeria’s enduring failure to confront its civil war history with honesty or justice.
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and a prominent Igbo politician, offered a more conciliatory view.
I had a duty as a loyal Nigerian to keep the country whole.
He acknowledged Gowon’s controversial wartime role but praised him for defending Nigeria’s unity, insisting that he should be remembered as a patriot who acted out of national loyalty.
In the ARISE TV interview, Gowon reiterated that his objective was not to target Igbos but to prevent the country’s fragmentation.
He claimed to have issued a code of conduct to Nigerian troops, directing them to safeguard civilians and engage only with armed opponents.
“I had a responsibility as a loyal Nigerian to keep the country whole,” Gowon said. “From the beginning, I ensured that this was not a war against Igbos as such, but one to stop the breaking up of Nigeria.”
He defended his decisions during the 30-month war, portraying himself as a leader burdened by national duty. “The other side refused all attempts to send aid into their camp,” he added, shifting responsibility for the humanitarian crisis that unfolded.
The war erupted in July 1967 following the secession of the Eastern Region and ended in January 1970 when Gowon famously declared “no victory, no vanquish” in a bid to heal the nation.
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Yet six decades on, Nigeria continues to grapple with unresolved questions from a conflict that reshaped its identity and deepened ethnic divisions.
