Former Nigerian Head of State Yakubu Gowon has stated that the declaration of Biafra by late Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, forced the Federal Government into the Nigerian Civil War.
According to a report by Vanguard on Thursday, May 21, 2026, in his autobiography, My Life of Service and Allegiance, Gowon stated that several efforts were made to prevent Nigeria from breaking apart after the political crisis and ethnic violence that followed the 1966 coups.
According to him, the Federal Government attended the Aburi peace meeting in Ghana in 1967 with hopes of finding a peaceful solution. However, he claimed disagreements over the interpretation of the Aburi Accord made reconciliation difficult.
Gowon stated that Ojukwu’s position weakened trust between both sides and increased fears that Nigeria could collapse as one country. He also defended the creation of 12 states before the war, saying it was meant to protect minority groups who feared domination within the regions.
The former leader admitted that the killings of many Igbos in Northern Nigeria created fear and anger in the Eastern Region, making tensions worse across the country.
He maintained that the Federal Government did not go to war to punish any ethnic group but to preserve Nigeria’s unity after Biafra declared independence on May 30, 1967.
Gowon also defended the “No Victor, No Vanquished” policy introduced after the war ended in 1970, saying reconciliation was necessary to rebuild the country after years of violence and suffering.
In his words, “Ojukwu’s declaration of Biafra left the federal government with no choice. We fought to keep Nigeria one, not to destroy a people…See More
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