Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that the underlying factors that triggered Nigeria’s civil war remain unresolved, cautioning that the country may not survive another conflict of similar magnitude.
Obasanjo made the remark on Wednesday while receiving a historical publication titled Asaba Massacre at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.
The book, presented by the Isama Ajie of Asaba, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, documents the killing of civilians in Asaba during the Nigerian Civil War.
Speaking during the presentation, the former president reflected on the war and his involvement in it, stressing that he could not provide details about the Asaba massacre because military operations in the area were under the command of the late Murtala Muhammed.
“The conditions that led to the Nigerian civil war years ago still remain unresolved.
“I was involved in the civil war, but whenever people ask me about the Asaba massacre, I always tell them I cannot give details because Murtala Muhammed was responsible for operations in that area,” he said.
Obasanjo also disclosed that he had previously been asked about Muhammed’s role during the civil war but insisted he was not in a position to comment on the matter, maintaining that responsibility for the operations rested with the late military leader.
