NATIONAL: Gowon denies looting ‘half of CBN’ as military ruler

FORMER Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, on Thursday, dismissed the accusation that he carted away half of the money in the Central Bank of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, when he was overthrown as “a mere fallacy.”

Gowon, who holds the record as Nigeria’s longest serving head of state, presided over the country during it’s civil war that lasted for three years, 1967-1970.

While reacting to the claim made by a member of the British parliament during the hearings on the #EndSARS petition in the UK legislature, the octogenarian said he served Nigeria diligently and the accusation was meant to ridicule him.

Gowon told the BBC, “I don’t know where he got that rubbish from, I served Nigeria diligently and my records are there for all to see”.

“What the MP said was just mere ridicule and I don’t know as to where he cooked up such statement. I served Nigeria as much as I could and my achievements during those years are available to everyone.

“I don’t want to talk over the matter since those who know me very well say that the MP’s statement is nothing but a mere fallacy.”

The United Kingdom Parliament met on Monday to discuss its sanctions against the Nigerian government for corruption and human rights violations during the recent #EndSARS protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings.

During the debate, Tom Tugendhat, chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee representing Tonbridge and Malling, said the UK needs to sanction Nigeria’s corrupt officers.

He said, “Now some people will remember when General Gowon left Nigeria with half of the Central Bank so it is said and moved to London.

‘‘We know today, even now in this great city of ours there are sadly some people who have taken from the Nigerian people and hidden their ill-gotten wealth here.’’

Gowon became the head of the states in 1966 at the age of 32 and ruled for nine years before he was overthrown in 1975.

He was overthrown while in the middle of attending an OAU summits.

Gowon fled to the UK, was granted asylum, and spent his years there studying.