Former Nigerian military leader, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), in a video from 4:38, has opened up about one of the most emotionally difficult moments of his military career—fighting in the Nigerian Civil War against soldiers who were once his friends and classmates.
In a deeply personal reflection, Babangida recounted how the realities of war forced him into a confrontation that went beyond strategy and uniforms—it struck at the heart of human relationships.
“I think the most memorable was when I went to war in 1967,” he began. “What struck me was—here am I—I knew a lot of colleagues with whom we trained together, with whom we schooled together. Now here am I, facing them in war.”
The conflict he referred to was the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, which lasted from 1967 to 1970. For many in the Nigerian military, the war was not just a national conflict—it was a personal one, with soldiers finding themselves on opposite sides of a bloody struggle for unity and survival.
“I never imagined that I would find myself in a situation of war with people who have been my friends,” Babangida continued. “Who, unfortunately, were on the other side. That’s quite touching.”
Pressed on how he managed to cope with the emotional burden of such a complex scenario, the former Head of State responded with a soldier’s resolve.
“I did because it was a job I had to do. And maybe for them, it was a job that they on the other end had to do,” he explained. “But I found that really, really a very touching moment in my life.”
Babangida’s reflection highlights the tragic complexity of civil wars, where political divides often tear through the fabric of friendships, families, and shared histories. His story serves as a poignant reminder that behind the uniforms and military strategies are individuals carrying the weight of personal memories and emotional conflict.
While IBB went on to rise through the ranks and eventually became Nigeria’s military president from 1985 to 1993, his war experience in 1967 remains one of the most haunting episodes of his career.
