As documented in a 1983 Reuters report: “Former Nigerian military ruler General Yakubu Gowon was given a warm welcome when he returned to Nigeria after eight years of exile in Britain on December 5. Gowon ruled Nigeria for nine years marked by the 30-month civil w@r in which the then eastern region tried to break away as B!@fra. He contained the r£b£ll!on and engineered a reconciliation after the w@r ended in 1970. In later years he was accused of giving too much power to his military governors