…Slams ex-Head of State for ‘distorting history’ and dishonouring victims

…Says Gowon’s claims are false and insulting to Igbo memory

…Accuses him of shielding British and Fulani oligarch interests

…Demands public apology for war crimes, failure to honour Aburi Accord

Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has issued a scathing condemnation of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), accusing the former Head of State of distorting historical facts and refusing to own up to his role in the Biafran war, which led to the death of over three million Igbo civilians between 1967 and 1970.

In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Deputy President-General, Dr Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group criticised Gowon’s recent public remarks that the civil war was not directed against the Igbo, but merely against “secessionists.”

The statement reads partly, “That assertion is not only historically inaccurate but also an affront to the memory of Ndigbo. 

“Gowon failed as Commander-in-Chief during the 1966 pogroms in the North. His inaction forced the Igbo into self-defence. ”

Ohanaeze alleged that Gowon was used by British colonial powers and Fulani oligarchs to launch what it called an unjust and genocidal war, under the guise of national unity.

The group said Gowon’s military campaign had little to do with national preservation but everything to do with protecting foreign oil interests in the Niger Delta.

Ohanaeze also condemned Gowon’s refusal to implement the Aburi Accord, a peace agreement reached in Ghana that could have averted war.

“His betrayal of the Aburi Accord was a calculated act that made war inevitable,” the statement said, adding that Gowon must publicly disclose how he was misled and admit that national unity was used as a smokescreen for economic imperialism.

At 91 years old, Ohanaeze said, Gowon has limited time left to amend the record, seek forgiveness, and contribute to national healing.

“The recent interview he granted has only deepened wounds. His silence on the Asaba massacre and other atrocities committed against the Igbo during the war speaks volumes,”it added

Ohanaeze said it believes Gowon’s long life is divinely granted for the purpose of confronting the truth, not rewriting it.

“He must unburden his conscience and apologise to Ndigbo — not as a favour, but as a duty,” the group added.

Citing continued violence in states like Plateau, Benue, and Taraba, Ohanaeze warned that Nigeria is still reeling from the scars of the civil war, worsened by silence and historical denial.

“The failure to acknowledge and redress past wrongs keeps this country trapped in cycles of bloodshed,” the statement noted.