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Civil war: Gowon should apologise to Ndigbo

Published

8 months ago

June 21, 2025

Former military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon (Rtd)

Civil war: Gowon should apologise to Ndigbo

The Senator representing Anambra Central, Chief Victor Umeh, has reacted to the recent television interview granted by the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, on the Nigerian Civil War, saying the 91-year-old former military leader should apologize to Igbo people for betraying the historic Aburi accord and starting a brutal conflict that was aimed at exterminating the Igbo people of Nigeria.

The 30-month civil war claimed millions of lives and destroyed the buoyant economy of the Eastern Region, considered to be the fastest growing economy in Africa the.

Recalling that former President Ibrahim Babangida had in his book stated clearly that the 1966 coup was not an Igbo coup, Umeh said it is unfortunate for Gowon to concoct lies against a tribe, even at his old age.

Senator Umeh, who spoke in an interview in Awka, said: “I listened to Gowon’s television interview and I felt so sorry for him for the things he said. Igbo people have suffered gravely because of that coup. I felt that with Babangida’s statement during his book launch, that it wasn’t an Igbo coup because he named Yorubas and Northerners that were part of the coup, it was a big relief and I challenge Gowon to write his own book so that Nigerians will read his own version.

“Maybe at 91 years he has forgotten what happened, but some of us who worked with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and interviewed him about the war, know that what Gowon said was a big lie.

“It was unfortunate for him to say that the war was not against the Igbo people of Nigeria and that he heard about the insurrection in Abeakuta and the assassination of General Aguiyi Ironsi from somewhere, only for him to later emerge as the Head of State after the counter coup.

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“He should apologize to Igbo people for the role he played in that civil war, instead of coming to insult the sensibilities of those who were the victims of the war.”

According to Umeh, the counter coup was the cleansing of the Igbo in the Nigerian Armed Forces, and challenged Gowon to name military officers from his region who were also killed in the counter coup.

“Igbo people were not only killed as military officers, their businesses were also destroyed across Nigeria. Gowon also misrepresented the Aburi accord, which to me, is the greatest travesty. I worked with Ojukwu for five years and I asked him questions about the Aburi accord and he told me that they all agreed on Confederation, which meant that the regions should be confederate units so that every region would continue to develop at its own pace.

“After the agreement, the Ghanaian leader, General Ankra, Gowon and Ojukwu, were at the back of the same car when they were being driven to the airport and Ankra took the hands of Gowon and Ojukwu and joined them and said they should go and implement the Aburi accord. Ojukwu told me that he told Gowon that if he announced details of the accord on their return, he, Ojukwu, would be the first person to nominate him as the Head of State of Nigeria.

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First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

Published

11 minutes ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode and late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed

First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode, the first daughter of late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has opened up about the challenges of growing up without her father, the late military head of state assassinated on February 13, 1976, and her ongoing work in philanthropy, governance, and education.

In an exclusive interview, Aisha, who is a lawyer, entrepreneur, author, activist, and philanthropist, described losing her father at age 12 as a profoundly harrowing experience. She recalled the “silence of absence” and the “noise of expectation” that followed his death, explaining that she had to grow up quickly while navigating the pressures of public scrutiny and preserving her father’s legacy.

“My father treated corruption as an emergency, not a talking point. He believed in strong leadership, discipline, clarity of purpose, and a deep commitment to Nigeria,” she said.

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Aisha also highlighted the stabilizing role of her mother, Ajoke Muhammed, who raised six children after the assassination, instilling discipline, resilience, and a focus on education.

Currently, Aisha is the Group CEO of Asset Management Group Limited and the CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), where she champions girls’ education and youth empowerment. She noted that, particularly in northern Nigeria, female primary net attendance rates are as low as 47.3–47.7%, with young women’s illiteracy reaching 70.8%.

“From our experience, the solution to girls’ education must be holistic — removing economic barriers, ensuring safety, fostering community ownership, and making education relevant to livelihoods,” she said.

She emphasized that educating girls stabilizes families and strengthens the nation, adding that the MMF Foundation has been instrumental in providing scholarships, school feeding programs, and community initiatives to enhance female education.

Reflecting on her father’s legacy, Aisha described him as a man of humility, vision, and principle, whose simple resting place in Kano reflects a life devoted to duty rather than display. She and her siblings have committed to refurbishing his grave and that of their brother Zack while carrying forward his vision through their work.

“A grave does not hold a legacy — people do. The real monument to his memory is in how we choose to live, and the kind of Nigeria we are willing to build,” she said.

Aisha’s reflections combine personal remembrance, national history, and advocacy, highlighting the enduring influence of Murtala Muhammed on his family and the nation, while underscoring the importance of education, integrity, and principled leadership in Nigeria today.

First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

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Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

Published

25 minutes ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga

Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three individuals, including a motel owner, in Uke, Idemili North Local Government Area, for alleged possession of illegal firearms and involvement in illicit drug activities.

Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga disclosed that the suspects — Ifeanyi Ibeabuchi (39), Abdullahi Shaibu (26), and Obah Chima (18) — were apprehended by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu following credible intelligence.

The raid, carried out in the late hours of February 9, 2026, led to the seizure of multiple controlled substances, including Cannabis Sativa, Crystal Methamphetamine, Colos, and Mkpuru-mmiri. Authorities also recovered a Jojef pump action gun (breach number 21SA-0724) loaded with three live cartridges at the scene.

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Ikenga noted that Ibeabuchi confessed to the offenses during initial investigations, which helped law enforcement track and arrest the two other suspects.

“The Command reiterates its commitment to sustaining ongoing operations against criminal elements in the state and urges members of the public to continue providing useful information to aid policing efforts. Further developments will be communicated as the investigation progresses,” the spokesperson said.

The Anambra State Police Command has vowed to continue targeted operations against firearms and drug-related crimes, reinforcing efforts to enhance public safety in the state.

Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

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2 Nigerians Killed While Fighting for Russian Army in Ukraine War

Published

42 minutes ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka

2 Nigerians Killed While Fighting for Russian Army in Ukraine War

Two Nigerian men have reportedly died while serving in the Russian Armed Forces during the ongoing Russia–Ukraine War in eastern Luhansk.

The deceased, Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, were reportedly attached to the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, according to Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence. Their bodies were discovered in late November 2025, highlighting the growing risks faced by foreign nationals recruited into Russia’s military operations.

Kolawole and Udoka reportedly signed contracts with the Russian army in the second half of 2025 — Kolawole on August 29 and Udoka on September 28. Udoka received no formal military training and was sent to the front just five days after enlistment on October 3. Kolawole also appears to have been deployed with minimal preparation, raising concerns over the treatment of foreign recruits.

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The men were killed in a drone strike while attempting to storm Ukrainian positions, and Ukrainian authorities reported that they did not engage in conventional combat before their deaths. Kolawole is survived by a wife and three children in Nigeria.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence has used the incident to caution foreign nationals against travelling to Russia for employment, warning that recruits may be sent into dangerous combat units with little or no training. The deaths come amid increased recruitment of foreign fighters from Africa into Russian forces, sparking concern among human rights and foreign policy observers.

This development highlights the risks associated with participation in the Ukraine conflict as a foreign mercenary and underscores the humanitarian and security issues arising from the recruitment of untrained personnel into active combat zones.