Nigeria’s former military Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon on Wednesday described the allegations by the UK parliament member Tom Tugendhat that he stole half of the funds in the Central Bank of Nigeria during his regime as “mere fallacy”.

“What the MP said was just mere ridicule and I don’t know as to where he cooked up such statement. I served Nigeria as much as I could and my achievements during those years are available to everyone,” Gowon told the BBC. 

British lawmakers on Monday, November 23 debated a petition signed by over 220,000 people demanding that the UK sanction the Nigerian government for allegedly shooting peaceful #endsars protesters. 

During the UK parliament deliberation on the Lekki Shootings, a British Member of Parliament Tom Tugendhat alleged that Yakubu Gowon who was the Head of State of Nigeria between 1966-1975 stole up to half of the central bank then moved to London. 

“We need to call out the corruption, we need to use the powers that we have in this country to stop those who are profiting from the wealth of that great nation [Nigeria] and hiding it here. Now some people would remember that when general Gowon left Nigeria with half the central bank, so it is said and moved to London.

We know that today, even now, in this great city of ours there are sadly some people who have taken from the Nigerian people and hidden their ill-gotten gains here," the parliamentarian said. 

 Responding to the allegation, General Gowon who is 86 years-old, said he served Nigeria with utmost fear of God adding that he does not want to talk about the matter as his legacies were visible to everyone.

“I don’t want to talk over the matter since those who know me very well say that the MP’s statement is nothing but a mere fallacy,” he added.

Many Nigerians back home are shocked by the allegation peddled on the floor of the UK Parliament, especially because Gowon was generally known to live a frugal life. While some believe they might have been hoodwinked into believing General Gowon is honourable, others have stepped up to defend his honour. 

Notable among them is the President of the African Development Bank Akinwunmi Adesina who cautioned against misinformation, adding that General Yakubu Gowon is an honourable man. 

“Be careful of misinformation! H.E. General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s former Head of State, is a man of great honour, decency, honesty, amazing simplicity, humility and integrity. I know him. A great and admirable elder statesman of Nigeria. His honesty and integrity are impeccable.” the President of African Development Bank said.

Be careful of misinformation! H.E. General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s former Head of State, is a man of great honour, decency, honesty, amazing simplicity, humility and integrity. I know him. A great and admirable elder statesman of Nigeria. His honesty and integrity are impeccable. pic.twitter.com/YznYN873qH

— Akinwumi A. Adesina (@akin_adesina) November 26, 2020