Biafra Civil War: Gowon says Igbo bank depositors were fully paid, defends Awolowo over £20 policy

Former Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has defended the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo against long-standing criticism over the controversial post-civil war £20 policy, saying the decision was taken collectively by the Federal Government and was not Awolowo’s personal policy.

Gowon also stated that people from the former Biafran territory who could provide evidence that they had money in Nigerian banks before or during the Nigerian Civil War received the full value of their deposits, including accrued interest.

The former Head of State made the clarification in his memoir, My Life of Duty and Allegiance, where he revisited the circumstances surrounding the currency policy introduced after the end of the civil war in January 1970.

The £20 policy has remained a subject of public debate for decades, with critics accusing Awolowo, who served as Federal Commissioner for Finance during the war, of restricting people from the former Biafran territory to a flat payment of £20, regardless of the amount they had held before the conflict.

However, Gowon said Awolowo had been unfairly blamed for a policy that was approved by the Federal Government after consultations and consideration of the economic challenges facing Nigeria at the end of the war.

According to Gowon, the Central Bank of Nigeria established a panel to examine the possible consequences of converting the Biafran pound into Nigerian currency.

He explained that the exercise was difficult because the Biafran currency was not recognised by the Federal Government as legal tender during the war.

Gowon said the large volume of Biafran currency in circulation also created concerns that exchanging all the notes at the same value as the Nigerian pound could have caused serious economic disruption.

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Economic advisers subsequently recommended that the Federal Government provide a uniform payment of about £20 to each adult from the former Biafran territory, regardless of the quantity of Biafran currency presented.

“We agreed to the proposal and made it our official policy,” Gowon wrote, adding that the government faced major difficulties in determining the volume of Biafran currency in circulation and establishing a practical basis for converting it.

He maintained that the decision was made by the Federal Government and should not be attributed solely to Awolowo.

Gowon further stated that people who had left Nigeria but could provide proof that they held funds in Nigerian banks received the full value of their deposits, including interest, in Nigerian currency.

“Everyone who left Nigeria but had proof that they had money in Nigerian banks got the full amount of their money plus the interest it earned, all in Nigerian currency,” he said.

The former military leader argued that adopting a different approach could have created significant economic and administrative challenges during Nigeria’s post-war recovery.

The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafra War, began in 1967 and ended in January 1970 following the surrender of Biafran forces.

After the war, Gowon declared a policy of “no victor, no vanquished” and introduced the Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation programme, widely known as the 3Rs.

The programme was designed to promote national unity, rebuild war-affected communities and support the reintegration of the former Eastern Region into Nigeria.

Despite the government’s post-war reconciliation agenda, the £20 policy remains one of the most debated aspects of Nigeria’s post-civil war history.

Critics have argued that the policy caused financial hardship for many people in the former Biafran territory, particularly those who lost access to savings, could not provide documentation for their bank deposits or were unable to recover the value of assets affected by the war.

Some historians and commentators have also questioned whether the post-war reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes adequately addressed the economic losses and long-term effects experienced by communities affected by the conflict.

Gowon’s account has renewed public discussion about the Biafra Civil War, the post-war currency policy and Awolowo’s role in the Federal Military Government.

While Gowon maintains that verified Nigerian bank deposits were fully repaid with interest and that Awolowo should not be held personally responsible for the £20 policy, the issue continues to generate debate over post-war justice, economic recovery, historical memory and national reconciliation.

Biafra Civil War: Gowon says Igbo bank depositors were fully paid, defends Awolowo over £20 policy

The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 15-year-old boy who allegedly staged his own kidnapping in an attempt to extort N200,000 from his father in Suleja.

The teenager was arrested alongside a 17-year-old alleged accomplice after police traced him to a hotel in Suleja, days after his family reported him missing.

The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Monday.

According to the police, the 15-year-old left home after attending church on July 20, 2026, but failed to return, prompting concern among his family members.

The following day, the family reportedly received a telephone call from someone who claimed that the teenager had been kidnapped and demanded a ransom of N200,000 for his release.

The matter was subsequently reported at the B Division of the Nigeria Police Force in Suleja, leading to the launch of an investigation.

Police detectives reportedly acted on credible intelligence and traced the teenager to a hotel in Suleja on July 25, where he was found with the 17-year-old.

“On receipt of the information, police operatives of the division commenced an investigation and, acting on credible intelligence, the said Kelvin was found at a hotel in Suleja on July 25, 2026, with his accomplice,” the police spokesperson said.

According to the command, the two teenagers allegedly confessed during questioning that they planned the incident to obtain N200,000 from the boy’s father.

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The police said the money was to be shared between them after the ransom had been paid.

“The suspects confessed that they planned to extort the sum of N200,000 from Kelvin’s father, after which they would share the proceeds of the crime,” Abiodun said.

The police said the alleged plan was uncovered before the family paid the requested ransom.

Both teenagers are currently in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Minna, where further investigations are ongoing.

The command said the suspects would be taken through the appropriate legal process after the investigation had been concluded.

The incident has renewed concerns over staged kidnapping, particularly the emotional and financial impact such incidents can have on families.

Security experts have repeatedly warned that fake kidnapping claims can cause panic, place families under severe emotional pressure and divert police resources from genuine cases involving missing or abducted persons.

The case also highlights the importance of reporting suspected kidnappings promptly to security agencies and allowing investigators to handle ransom demands and related threats.

Residents have been encouraged to provide timely and credible information that could help security agencies prevent crime and respond quickly to reports involving missing persons.

The Niger State Police Command said investigations into the alleged self-kidnapping plot were continuing.

How 15-year-old allegedly staged his own kidnapping to extort N200,000 from father

NiDCOM confirms release of Nigerian girls detained in Mauritius

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed the release of Nigerian girls who were reportedly detained at an airport in Mauritius, following public concern and calls for intervention by Nigerian authorities.

NiDCOM said the girls had regained their freedom and were travelling back to Nairobi, Kenya, while efforts were ongoing to address the circumstances surrounding their detention and prevent a recurrence.

The incident gained public attention after a video showing the girls in detention circulated on social media, prompting Nigerians to call on relevant government agencies and diplomatic authorities to intervene.

An Instagram user identified as #Queenbethia shared the video on Sunday and appealed to authorities to take urgent action, alleging that the girls had been held at the Mauritius airport since July 31, 2026.

The post generated widespread reactions, with many social media users expressing concern over the welfare of the girls and demanding clarification on why they were being held.

In a statement issued on Monday through its Digital Media Unit, NiDCOM announced that the girls had been released and were already on their way back to Nairobi.

“The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) wishes to inform the public that the Nigerian girls who were previously detained have been released.

“They are currently on their way back to Nairobi,” the commission stated.

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NiDCOM said its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, was engaging the relevant Nigerian diplomatic mission, which had formally taken up the matter with the authorities in Mauritius.

According to the commission, the engagement is intended to establish accountability, clarify the circumstances surrounding the detention and help prevent similar incidents involving Nigerian travellers.

“The Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is actively engaging the relevant Nigerian Embassy, who have formally taken up this matter with the authorities of the country concerned, to ensure full accountability and prevent any recurrence,” the statement added.

The commission reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the welfare and interests of Nigerians living, working, studying or travelling outside the country.

NiDCOM said the intervention aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places emphasis on the welfare and protection of Nigerians at home and abroad.

“NiDCOM, in line with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, remains committed to the welfare and protection of all Nigerians home and abroad,” the commission said.

However, the commission did not disclose the identities or number of the girls, the exact circumstances that led to their detention, or whether the matter was connected to immigration documentation, travel requirements or other airport procedures.

NiDCOM also did not provide details about when the girls were expected to arrive in Nairobi or whether they would later return to Nigeria.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official public statement from the Mauritius government, immigration authorities or airport officials explaining why the Nigerian travellers were held.

The incident has renewed discussions about the experiences of Nigerian travellers at foreign airports and the importance of timely consular support when citizens encounter immigration, travel or other challenges outside the country.

The release of the girls has brought relief to their families, friends and concerned Nigerians who had called for urgent intervention. Further details are expected as Nigerian diplomatic authorities continue engagement with their Mauritian counterparts over the incident.

NiDCOM confirms release of Nigerian girls detained in Mauritius