Asagba Azinge Calls for Presidential Apology on Asaba Massacre

During the 59th anniversary of the Asaba Massacre, HRM Obi Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN), the Asagba of Asaba, expressed that only a formal apology from a sitting Nigerian president could ease the pain of the massacre of hundreds of Asaba people by federal troops in October 1967 during the Nigerian Civil War. Azinge lamented the lack of acknowledgment from successive governments, stating that the massacre remains a significant injustice.

The event featured Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, who discussed preparations for the 60th anniversary and the proposed Asaba Massacre Memorial Centre. Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo delivered a special audio-visual message, describing the massacre as one of the most painful aspects of the Nigerian Civil War and emphasizing the need for forgiveness.

Azinge reiterated that closure cannot be achieved without a public apology from a sitting president, despite previous apologies from former leaders.