Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that many of the conditions that led to Nigeria’s civil war remain unresolved, urging Nigerians to work together to ensure the country never experiences another armed conflict.
Obasanjo made the remarks on Wednesday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta during the presentation of Asaba Massacre, a historical document authored by the Isama Aje of Asaba, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze.
The former president said Nigeria had already fought “one civil war too many” and stressed that preventing another conflict should remain a national priority.
Speaking on the 1967 Asaba Massacre, Obasanjo denied playing any role in the incident, explaining that he could not account for what happened because military operations in the area were under the command of the late General Murtala Muhammed.
“I was involved in the civil war, but when people talk about the Asaba Massacre, I always confess that I cannot give details of it,” he said.
Obasanjo noted that although the civil war ended more than five decades ago, ethnic divisions, distrust and other underlying issues that contributed to the conflict still exist.
The former president of Nigeria urged Nigerians to learn from history, condemn past atrocities and take deliberate steps to prevent a recurrence.
Author of the book, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, said the publication was based on eyewitness testimonies, recorded interviews, archival materials, audiovisual documentation and historical scholarship.
He stated that the evidence points to the killing of more than 1,000 unarmed male civilians in Asaba after federal troops entered the town during the civil war.
Nduka-Eze also warned that the divisions and suspicions that fuelled the civil war continue to pose challenges to national unity.
