Prominent Arewa leader in the South, Alhaji Musa Saidu, has harshly condemned the recent attacks on retired General Yakubu Gowon, the former head of state of Nigeria. Saidu conveyed his shock at the derogatory remarks made against Gowon during his meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa.
Saidu referred to the attacks on Gowon on social media as ridiculous and urged the East’s leadership to step in and tell their people to stop making disparaging statements. He emphasized that some Ohaneze and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) factions were the ones who started the media attack, demanding that Gowon apologize for the civil war. Saidu called this unjustifiable and called for an immediate stop to these kinds of efforts.
Emphasizing Gowon’s role in preserving Nigeria’s unity during the civil war, Saidu stressed that it was not Gowon who initiated hostilities against the nation. He lamented the escalating nature of the attacks, even on platforms like TikTok, and called for a collective focus on nation-building rather than divisive rhetoric.
Saidu also commended Doris McDaniels’ group, BRAC Coastal Aborigines, for condemning the media attacks, and applauded ECOWAS for lifting sanctions on Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali following Gowon’s appeal, signaling a positive diplomatic development in the region.
According to a news published by Vanguard, The Arewa leader said: some Igbos were allegedly overheating the body politic with the rain of insult on Gowon.
Saidu , the son of a soldier who fought the Nigerian civil war said it was not Gowon that declared war against the Nigeria state , adding that the former Head of State only acted to keep the unity of the country.
” The attack on General Gowon is getting out of hand. Gowon only protected the country from disintegration. Gowon did not start the war against Nigeria. He only defended the unity of the country as Head of State which any patriotic leader would do.
