- The Nigerian civil war occurred between 1967 and 1970. From August 1, 1966 to July 29, 1975
General Yakubu Gowon, a former military head of state in Nigeria, claims that if there had been no plans for secession, the Nigerian Civil War would not have been necessary.
The Nigerian civil war occurred between 1967 and 1970. From August 1, 1966 to July 29, 1975, Gowon served as the head of state.
Gowon said the Nigerian civil war was inevitable due to the south-east’s desire to secede.
Gowon made this statement in an interview with Daily Trust, noting “It got to the stage that the situation was getting pretty clear that a part of the country, the South-east wanted to secede,”
The former head of state asked south-east residents to embrace national unity, stating that “Biafra’s dissolution followed Nigerians’ acceptance of reintegration and unity”.
“I have always said that if there’s no secession, there wouldn’t be a breakout and there wouldn’t be a question of civil war because it got to the stage that the situation was getting pretty clear that a part of the country, the South-east wanted to secede,” he added.
Speaking further about the war, Gowon said: “Sometimes I say to myself that I don’t mind being called the Abraham Lincoln of Nigeria because we had a similar situation and we were able to achieve the same result.
“I remember that one English journalist asked why I thought the war was over — what if the people continued with guerrilla warfare?
“But thank God there was no guerrilla.”