Emotional Confession: Olusegun Obasanjo Speaks On Pain Of Fighting Fellow Nigerians In Civil War

He made the remark in Abeokuta on Monday while reflecting on the events of the 1967–1970 civil conflict, describing the experience as a painful chapter in Nigeria’s history.

Obasanjo, who served as a military commander during the war, said civil conflicts are fundamentally different from external wars because they involve citizens fighting against one another.

He noted that both Nigerian troops and Biafran fighters were compatriots, making the confrontation emotionally difficult for those involved.

“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 said.

He stressed that the lessons from the war should serve as a reminder for Nigerians to prioritise peace, dialogue, and national unity in order to prevent a recurrence of such a conflict.

In a related reflection, Olusegun Obasanjo also revealed that 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 one of intense fear and uncertainty within the military.

He recounted how former military officer Hassan Katsina intervened to ensure his safety, warning him that remaining in Kaduna at the time could be dangerous.

Obasanjo said he was subsequently moved to Maiduguri in Borno State for safety, where he stayed for nearly a month as tensions persisted across the country.

He added that he later returned to Kaduna after the situation stabilised.

“I would have probably been killed during the coup crisis and confusion. But General Hassan Katsina told me, ‘Oba, if you remain in Kaduna, we are not sure you will be safe.’ I was sent to Maiduguri, where I stayed for almost a month before returning when things calmed down,” he said.