Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has said the civil war between Nigeria and the defunct Biafra Republic was not a fight against the Igbo ethnic group.

He said the war was fought to stop the breakup of Nigeria after the Eastern region, led by late Odumegwu Ojukwu, seceded from the country.

According to Gowon, Nigeria fought against the secessionists and did everything possible to protect the civilians.

He told Arise TV, "I had a responsibility and duty as a loyal Nigerian to keep the country whole. From the beginning, I ensured that this was not a war against Igbos as such, but one to stop the breaking up of Nigeria.

"I gave a code of conduct of how the operations were to go; soldiers on the Nigerian side were to protect the people, especially women and children, and take up arms only against those who had taken arms against them.

"The number of people who were casualties of the war is not in millions. The other side also refused all attempts to send aid into their camp."

ASA