Dr. Joseph N. Gowon, a former Nigerian soldier who fought for the federal side during the 1967–1970 Nigerian Civil War, has recounted refusing an order to execute captured Biafran soldiers, describing the incident as one of the most painful memories of the conflict.
Speaking on The Yellow Podcast on Sunday, June 28, 2026, Gowon said his commander repeatedly ordered him to kill a group of captured Biafran soldiers, but he refused.
“My commander ordered me to go and kill them. I said no. They said, ‘What?’ They ordered another soldier who was illiterate. He killed them and my punishment was to bury them. I buried the 18 of them in less than 30 minutes,” Gowon said.
He explained that after his refusal, another soldier carried out the execution while he was assigned to bury the 18 victims. Gowon said the experience has remained deeply etched in his memory, reflecting the moral challenges and brutality many soldiers faced during the Nigerian Civil War.
