Gowon denies looting 'half of CBN' as military leader
The 86-year-old retired general says he served Nigeria diligently.
Yakubu Gowon led Nigeria for nine years decades ago [Guardian]
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Gowon was Nigeria's third Head of State between 1966 and 1975 when he was overthrown by a military coup while he was out of the country.
He immediately moved to the United Kingdom where he enrolled as a student at the University of Warwick.
While debating possible sanctions against Nigerian government officials over human rights violations this week, a member of the UK parliament, Tom Tugendhat, alleged that Gowon moved to the UK years ago with a sizeable loot.
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"Some people will remember when General Gowon left Nigeria with half the Central Bank of Nigeria, so it is said, and moved to London," he said.
The remark caused a stir in Nigeria with many criticising Gowon who led Nigeria during the Biafran Civil War that left millions dead.
In an interview with BBC, Gowon described Tugendhat's comment as a mere ridicule that was cooked up.
"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 said.
The 86-year-old said he served Nigeria diligently and that his achievements are clear for everyone to see.
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