Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has cautioned against any circumstances that could plunge Nigeria into another civil war, warning that the country may not survive a repeat of the 1967–1970 conflict.

Obasanjo spoke on Wednesday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the presentation of a historical documentation on the Asaba Massacre by the Isama Ajie of Asaba, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze.

The publication, titled Asaba Massacre, consists of a book and an audiovisual documentary compiled from eyewitness testimonies, recorded interviews, archival records and historical research detailing events that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War.

Reflecting on the conflict, Obasanjo, who served as a military commander during the war, said he had deliberately avoided making extensive comments on the Asaba Massacre because the area was under the command of the late General Murtala Muhammed.

He praised Nduka-Eze for documenting the tragic episode, describing the project as a vital effort to preserve Nigeria’s history and educate future generations.

“We pride ourselves that we preserve the past, capture the present and inspire the future. This is part of that past, and we must know about it,” Obasanjo said.

“I must confess that although I was involved in the civil war, whenever people ask me about the Asaba Massacre, I always say I cannot provide details because I was not directly involved in that operation.”

The former president also recounted an incident during the war when he stopped a soldier from assaulting a woman in Asaba, stressing that such actions would have attracted punishment under military command responsibility.

Obasanjo expressed concern that several of the grievances and conditions that contributed to the civil war remain unresolved decades later.

“Some of the things that led to the civil war are still with us. The question is, how long will they continue to remain?” he said.

He recalled a statement by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, that Nigeria would not survive another civil war, noting that he fully agreed with the assessment.

“I once heard General Yakubu Gowon say that Nigeria would not survive a second civil war. I share that view completely. We have fought one civil war too many already,” Obasanjo stated.

“God forbid that we ever experience another one. We must understand what happened, condemn what should never have happened and do everything possible to prevent a recurrence.

“If we truly mean ‘Never Again,’ then we must commit ourselves to ensuring that such a tragedy is never repeated. I will do everything within my power to ensure it never happens again.”

Earlier, Nduka-Eze said the publication was the product of years of research supported by eyewitness accounts, interviews, archival materials, audiovisual evidence and established historical scholarship.

According to him, available evidence showed that after federal troops entered Asaba, then a civilian population centre in the Mid-West Region, residents were assembled in public places and instructed to demonstrate loyalty to Nigeria by proclaiming “One Nigeria.”

He said the findings indicated that men were separated from women and children before many unarmed male civilians were killed despite complying with the directives.

“The evidence establishes a recurring pattern. Civilians were assembled in public places under conditions of fear and uncertainty,” Nduka-Eze said.

“During these assemblies, residents were required to proclaim allegiance to the Nigerian State, including being instructed to declare ‘One Nigeria’ and otherwise demonstrate loyalty.”