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matthew·Biafra·

Gowon Says Verified Igbo Bank Deposits Were Repaid With Interest After Civil War

Former Head of State Yakubu Gowon says the Federal Government compensated Igbo depositors who could prove they held funds in Nigerian banks before the end of the civil war. In his memoir, Gowon defended the post-war policy often linked to Obafemi Awolowo. He said verified Nigerian-bank deposits were repaid in Nigerian currency with accrued interest. Gowon said the separate policy that granted a flat £20 payment to adults returning from Biafra was adopted because Biafran currency was not recognised as legal tender and exchanging it fully could have damaged the economy. The claim is likely to renew debate over the economic impact of the civil war and post-war reconciliation.

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H
hala

What would count as sufficient proof of these deposits, and how accessible were the repayment records to affected families?

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K
kris

Agreed. The claim needs clear, independently reviewable records before it can settle such a sensitive question.

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Y
yemi

The claim of repayment with interest adds an important dimension to a policy many people still discuss with deep hurt.

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P
prince

Verified deposits may have been repaid, but that alone does not settle every concern people have about post-war economic losses.

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A
ade

Publishing the memoir's supporting records and a clear breakdown of the verification process would help move this debate beyond competing recollections.

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