Obasanjo: “We Shouldn’t Have Turned Against Ourselves During The Civil War

According to Ireporter Online, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigerian soldiers ought not to have fought against Biafran forces during the Nigerian Civil War, describing the conflict as a deeply painful period in the nation’s history.

Speaking in Abeokuta on Monday while reflecting on the 1967–1970 civil war, Obasanjo lamented that Nigerians were compelled to take up arms against one another, stressing that such internal conflicts leave lasting emotional scars. He noted that civil wars differ significantly from external wars, as they involve citizens on both sides, making the objective one of reconciliation and national survival rather than destruction.

Obasanjo, who served as a commander during the war, said both Nigerian troops and Biafran fighters were compatriots, which made the confrontation particularly difficult. He stated, “We shouldn’t have fought ourselves. Civil war is different from fighting external enemies because at the end of the day, you are fighting your brothers.”

He added that lessons from the war should guide Nigerians toward peace, dialogue, and unity, urging the country to avoid any repeat of such a tragic national division.

In a related reflection, the former president also recounted how he narrowly escaped death during the crisis that followed the January 1966 military coup. Speaking on the Before Tomorrow Comes Podcast, he described the period as chaotic and dangerous, with widespread uncertainty within the military.

He revealed that former military officer Hassan Katsina intervened during the unrest in Kaduna, warning that his safety could not be guaranteed if he remained in the city. Obasanjo said he was subsequently relocated to Maiduguri, Borno State, where he stayed for nearly a month until tensions subsided.

He stated, “I would have probably been killed in the period of the coup, conflict, and confusion. But it was an officer like me, General Hassan Katsina, who said, ‘Oba, if you remain in Kaduna, we are not sure you will be safe’. And I was sent to Borno, Maiduguri. That was my first time going there. I was there for almost a month, and when things cooled down and settled, I was brought back to Kaduna.”