Asaba Massacre at 59: GOMEP Demands Federal Apology, Memorial

By Credible Media Reporters

Asaba Massacre at 59: GOMEP revisits the 1967 killings and demands truth, accountability and a permanent memorial for hundreds of victims.

GOMEP-NG has marked the 59th anniversary of the 1967 Asaba Massacre, calling for a Federal Government apology, permanent memorial and greater recognition of the victims.
The Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG) has commemorated the 59th anniversary of the Asaba Massacre, calling for truth, accountability and a renewed national commitment to ensuring that the tragedy is never repeated.

In a commemorative statement marking the anniversary on Wednesday, National President of GOMEP-NG, Comrade Akpovoke Otiti, described the 1967 killings as one of the painful chapters of Nigeria’s history that must not be allowed to disappear into silence.

The Asaba Massacre occurred on October 7, 1967, during the Nigerian Civil War, when federal troops entered Asaba and civilians were rounded up amid the conflict.

Men and boys, including elderly men and teenagers, were reportedly separated from women and children, taken to Ogbeosowa village square and executed.

GOMEP-NG recalled that many of those gathered had dressed in akwa ocha, the traditional white attire associated with peace, reconciliation and non-violence.

They had hoped the gesture would demonstrate their support for a united Nigeria.

Instead, hundreds of fathers, husbands, brothers and sons were killed, leaving families devastated and the community traumatised for generations.

The Guild said the massacre remains particularly painful because of its impact on Asaba’s social fabric and the enduring psychological scars carried by survivors and victims’ families.

The killings occurred against the backdrop of the Nigerian Civil War, which lasted from 1967 to 1970 and resulted in massive displacement, hunger and loss of lives across the country.

According to GOMEP-NG, however, remembering Asaba is not an attempt to reopen old wounds for revenge but a necessary step towards confronting a difficult part of Nigeria’s history.

It said reconciliation cannot be sustained where historical grievances remain unacknowledged.

Otiti cited the enduring question associated with the tragedy: “Ahabamegi eji gbuwe na ahia?” — translated as, “What offence did the people of Asaba commit to deserve such killing?”

He said the question continues to resonate decades after the massacre and underscores the need for a more honest national conversation about the events of the civil war.

“Reconciliation without truth remains fragile,” Otiti said.

The Guild noted that although the Federal Government’s post-war policy of the Three Rs — Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation — helped rebuild physical infrastructure after the war, the psychological wounds suffered by victims’ families were not similarly addressed.

GOMEP-NG therefore called for an official acknowledgement of the Asaba tragedy and urged the Federal Government to consider issuing a formal apology to the victims’ families and the Asaba community.

The Guild also called for the establishment of a permanent Asaba Peace and Memory Centre, incorporating a museum and memorial where the history of the massacre can be preserved for future generations.

It further advocated the inclusion of the human cost of the Nigerian Civil War in school curricula, arguing that young Nigerians must understand the consequences of violence, intolerance and the abuse of state power.

GOMEP-NG paid tribute to the late Ogbueshi Professor Emma Okocha, popularly known as Ikemba Ahaba, for his role in preserving the memory of the massacre, particularly through his book, Blood on the Niger.

The Guild also recalled the call for truth and reconciliation made by Catholic Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah during the 50th anniversary commemoration of the massacre.

According to GOMEP-NG, the lessons of Asaba extend beyond the events of 1967, pointing to later incidents such as the Odi killings in 1999 and the Zaki Biam killings in 2001 as reminders of the dangers of unchecked state power.

The Guild warned that when the use of state force is not accompanied by credible accountability, public confidence in government institutions can be severely damaged.

“Asaba lives matter. Nigerian lives matter. Every life matters. We must remember Asaba, reject hate and choose peace,” Otiti said.

He urged Nigerians to make justice, equality, security and human dignity central to the country’s pursuit of lasting national unity.

For GOMEP-NG, the 59th anniversary of the Asaba Massacre is therefore not only a day of remembrance but also a call for Nigeria to confront its past honestly, honour those who were lost and strengthen its commitment to ensuring that the horrors of the past are never repeated.