Never Again Shall Nigeria Witness Civil War, Says Buhari

• On Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari remembered the lives lost in Nigeria’s 30-month civil war and prayed that it would never happen again.

Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement titled “President Buhari pays homage to Nigerian civil war martyrs.”

From July 6, 1967, to January 15, 1970, a civil war was fought between the Nigerian government, led by Gen. Yakubu Gowon, and the secessionist state of Biafra, led by Lt. Col Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Shehu said the President spoke at an event to welcome Sheikh Muhammadul Mahy Niass, the leader of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Religious Movement.

According to the presidential aide, Buhari paid tribute to the civil war martyrs.

“President Muhammadu Buhari paid tribute to the patriotic martyrs of the civil war whose heroic sacrifices allowed the unification of this great nation on Friday,” the statement read.

“Speaking at an event to welcome Sheikh Muhammadul Mahy Niass, the Grand Khalifa of Sheikh Ibrahim Niass, the World Leader of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Religious Movement, President Buhari thanked the Movement for their fervent prayers for an end to the war and Nigeria’s reunification.

“The President reflected on how many Nigerians died on both sides during the 30 months of civil war, and hoped that this would never happen again. He invited the Grand Khalifa to Nigeria and lauded their efforts to find solutions to the country’s security issues.